The Coalition for TJ, a grassroots project of 8,000+ parents, students, alumni and local residents advocating for diversity and excellence in education, recently held a virtual forum on the magnet school’s vital role as a catalyst for innovation and growth in the Northern Virginia region.

The forum, moderated by Thomas Jefferson Institute President Chris Braunlich, featured a dynamic list of panelists:

• • Tom Davis, former congressman from Northern Virginia
  • Norma Margulies, cofounder of Hispanics for STEM
  • Suresh Shenoy, business leader and philanthropist
  • Toussant Tyson, program director of Black Student Fund’s STEM initiative
  • Vern Williams, teacher and former member of National Mathematics Advisory Panel
  • Wenyuan Wu, executive director of Californians for Equal Rights

Former Congressman Davis, who served on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors when TJ was established, noted the school’s role in Northern Virginia’s ambition to rival Silicon Valley in the field of technology. “We saw an opportunity to make a statement about Fairfax County and who we were on a national stage with this school,” Davis said.

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