Ahdieh worked well with the Carpenters in the administration of the Harlem Prep school. He preferred to stay in the background. The school was blessed with many talented individuals who were dedicated to its mission and sacrificed greatly to assure the success of the students.
One of those dedicated teachers was George “Sandy” Campbell who had considered a life in the priesthood but found too many inconsistencies in the Christian faith. His life took a decisive direction when he was hired to teach English at the Prep. He had found a place that was his true calling. At the same time he also became a Baha’i. So began six fruitful years of teaching in the English department. His courses opened the minds of many of his students.
George ‘Sandy’ Campbell
The sisters of Manhattanville College were essential to the successful founding and launch of the school and provided essential human resources. Because Vatican II mandated that the church become more involved directly in the life of society, they did not live in a convent but rather in an apartment in Harlem. They drove to school in an old Dodge, arriving earlier than any other staff and leaving later. They worked selflessly, even sometimes going so far as to contribute their own pay to the school. The New York Times chose Sister Dowd as one of its ‘women of the year’ for her crucial role in establishing the school.
John Czerniejewski was a gentle giant who had come from a Polish family and later became a Baha’i along with the rest of his family. Though he was a stranger to Harlem, he acted like he belonged there. Once during a stick-up he simply walked confidently around the young man as though nothing was happening. Nothing could dissuade him from his commitment to the school. In addition to his hearty laugh, his humorous stories, and his imitation of the Three Stooges, students appreciated his dedication to creating interesting science experiments for them.
John Czerniejewski
A young Naledi Raspberry arrived at Harlem Prep in 1970, barely older than her students. Having grown up in a sheltered environment in Kansas City and at Vassar College, she found the world of Harlem to be much rougher than anything she had known. She rose to the occasion by encouraging her English and drama students to include their own experiences in their work; one class of students wrote a play based on their lives. She also introduced them to live theater by taking them regularly to the National Black Theater located nearby.
Naledi Raspberry
The Prep was also a place of dynamic interaction and discussion. For many students these interactions were the most important learning experiences of the school day. Ed Carpenter insisted on courteous exchanges, so while the debates between students could get heated, they were always respectful and finished with everyone still friends.
The school’s flexibly configured open spaces allowed for maximum interaction among students and the holding of school-wide assemblies which were rich in discussion. Guests included William F. Buckley who exposed students to the conservative point of view; Julius Lester, a liberal writer, photographer, radio host, and teacher, who was challenged by some students who found him insufficiently militant; and Sen. Jacob Javits, a prominent liberal Republican who supported the civil rights movement and worked to create the National Endowment for the Arts.