This essay addresses the history and evolution of the Southern portion of Reston as one time known as Reston One. The impact of settlement patterns and demographics in this area had a sometimes derogatory impact on the reputation of South Lakes. Currently boundary changes are being debated. At the time when South Lakes is completing major renovations and Reston itself should begin a community-wide remarketing program related to the impact reinvestment will have on this community following arrival of the metro expansion. This essay could be re-titled, “Go Sea Hawks, Go Reston!”
The construction for SLHS was funded from a school bond approved by the counties voters as a result of the work done by many Reston residents to reverse a pattern of voter rejection. The residents of Reston are hoping to be part of a high school that would serve all of the residents of this evolving and emerging new town which attracted people with impressive backgrounds. This would make it a very strong school with the assumption of parental support.
The new town of Reston is also the first place to accommodate a federal secretariat, USGS. The federal criteria for locating a major facility included the presence of affordable housing. The initial philosophy of Reston included creating housing choices for people of all orientations including incomes. This is the first place south of the Mason Dixon line to openly include people of color in their real-estate adds. The housing types constructed in many neighborhoods ranged from very large, family supporting town houses of 30,000 sq ft. adjacent to smaller units that accommodate childless couples and single residents.
Following the decisions by Montgomery County that limited housing choice, was apparent the transfer of the economic boom from Montgomery County to VA. This change was noted by a member of the RCA board who chaired the first affordable housing committee. This committee set forth the rationale to provide housing opportunities to people with limited income. This translated into support for subsidized housing.
The area near the USGS building was in a portion of Reston south of the Dulles Access road, which was created as a place for the type of housing found in other suburbs in the US. The response to the lenders request that Reston build some alternatives to the innovative forms of housing built in the Lake Anne area. Accommodating development south of the access road required the extension of Reston Avenue and a sewer system into this area. Therefore in order to accommodate affordable housing this was the logical area to meet these needs.
Citizen support for subsidized housing in this country and in this area at this time was exceptionally rare. This was close to the beginnings of the NIMBY phenomenon, and therefore the Stonegate project and its neighbors received HUD support. At this point in the development of subsidized housing the majority of the eligible residents were also minorities. The high concentration of lower cost housing in this section of the community resulted in an accumulation of minorities in a time when there was still some negativity associated with what is now referred to as “Not Like Me’s (NLMs).
This also placed the character of the students at SLHS as having a strong contingent of NLMs. The early years of the high school encountered some negative activity relating to the extension of NLMs to student conflicts. This building also was constructed during a period of constrained resources and therefore the SLHS plans lacked some of the features other schools offered during this period. The Reston Chamber of Commerce, seeking to provide scholarships, was confounded by the fact that member’s children were split between Herndon and South Lakes.
The choice of the name South Lakes High School does not relate directly to a marketing program related to the place called Reston. Currently there is a boundary dispute underway relating to the appearance of Fox Mill who appear to resist inclusion in the South Lakes district. This is unfortunate because many of these residents have a number of community connections that could contribute to the quality of connectivity.
A street sign at the edge of Fox Mill Estates is currently seeking interest in the Reston football program and many Fox Mill families attend places of worship in Reston and use Reston businesses for their needs.
The inner relationships that occur in lobbies check out lines and sports fields are agents of coalition.
SLHS is undergoing significant upgrades and should become a well-designed campus. When coaching little league football I volunteered to transport a number of players from their home in Stonegate to the practice field next to Hughes. Several of these individuals were very successful. Remarketing South Lakes at this time would be an appropriate corollary to remarketing Reston which is still laboring with its forty year old image and plan. Reston will be reborn and reenergized with the reinvestment that will accompany the arrival of mass transit. Go Sea Hawks! (And maybe change the name and go Reston).
The future of SLHS is on the threshold of greatness. This reflects several initiatives, but first obviously the capital improvements. This has created a number of “Wow’s” of returning students. The outreach being planned for the students who can be served by the presumably upgraded Southgate community center will serve to better prepare incoming students from this neighborhood. The potential of involving students from Fox Mill through the boundary changes under discretion can add a number of students with a strong family support tradition. A county official showed me today the recent SLHS SAT scores are among the country’s highest. There have been a number of staff changes in recent years that students have described with great expectations.
Based on their initial interaction, the students are very optimistic about the educational opportunities the school offers, as well as the roles of the staff. I have enjoyed reading of the accomplishments of several SLHS grads with national achievements, some who were the children of personal friends. I have found SLHS grads to be important contributors to my recovery from disabling events. These include: award winning thespians, and other students of renown. This will be documented in my book in preparation entitled “It Took a Village”. A new name could be the subject of a contest.
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