Sawubona is Prince William County Virginia's only Afrocentric educational cooperative serving children and teens in an emotionally safe learning environment. We celebrate our rich African and African American heritage and teach our scholars to have pride in African and African American heritage and culture.
Sawubona is a Zulu word for "I see you." This is not merely a visual seeing with our eyes but a soulful seeing with our hearts. We love and value the children in our community and are eager to serve your family.
We are committed to helping our students enjoy learning. We understand the importance of building strong relationships in an effort to help our students become the highest expressions of themselves
The late educator Rita Pierson said, "Every child deserves a champion - an adult who will never give up on them, who understands the power of connection and insists that they become the best that they can possibly be." This quote captures our vision and mission.
We celebrate our scholars for who they are today and curate experiences that help them make positive choices about who they are becoming.
It is our privilege to partner with each of our families to help each scholar be his or her personal best.
Our Mission
The Sawubona approach to education is simple. Everyday we choose to love, value, see and hear our scholars. We actively grow children into who they were created to be using the vehicle of experiential education which includes building strong connections.
Our community partners and volunteers create meaningful learning experiences that center children's needs and promote their healthy development.
In addition to their required studies, our students have access to a variety of resources that encourage personal development, cultural pride, exploration and curiosity. Perhaps your scholar expresses herself through art like Jacob Lawrence or maybe he lights up when conducting science experiments like Dr. Charles Drew. No matter their interest, we provide opportunities to learn, grow and build authentic community.
Meet Our Founder
Jennifer A. Roberts is a child of God, wife, mother and community educator. For more than 20 years, she has curated high-quality, educational experiences for children that value them and center their needs. Roberts greatest joy as a mother to her two amazing children has been helping them learn about themselves and the world around them. Her greatest burden has been advocating within the public education system to secure an equitable education for her children and other children in her local community. It is this passion that prompted her to create a much-needed alternative to traditional education that prioritizes the needs of Black children, celebrates their heritage and values their cultural capital. Through Sawubona, Roberts aims to set a new standard in learning by educating with love and building healthy relationships with students and their families.
As the daughter and daughter-in-love of two exemplary career educators, Roberts fully understands the impact of a high-quality educational experience and the profound effect that educational environments and educators have on students. She knows the value of connecting with students and valuing their humanity, including their racial identity.
In 2021, the Prince George's County, Maryland native, founded Conversations in the Community, a non-profit organization dedicated to educational advocacy. For more than a decade, she has volunteered in Prince William County Schools in many capacities. Most recently, she served as the club sponsor for H.O.U.S.E. (Helping Our Unique School Excel) at Bull Run Middle School, an after-school club that she and her son co-founded. She has also served as a member of Battlefield High School's Principal's Advisory Council and the Superintendent's Advisory Council on Instruction. Roberts currently serves on the board of A Few Good MENtors, Inc., a non-profit organization that provides mentoring support to boys and young men ages 8-21.
An avid reader and champion for literacy that centers Black characters and their lived experiences, she is the author of the children's book, "Meet Kaliyah." She also is the creator of the blogsite, www.journeywithjenntoday.net, where she shares her life's journey as well as her thoughts on education in America. A proud graduate of Bowie State University, Roberts, holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Communications Media with a concentration in Public Relations. She makes her home with her family in Northern Virginia.