Kennedy Neighborhood Can Become a Field of Dreams

Written by Tim Buckley, October 2023

“Build it, and they will come,” says the hero of the 1989 blockbuster movie Field of Dreams. The Kennedy neighborhood in Keizer is in the process of doing that.

The Kennedy Neighborhood Family Council, working in tandem with the Kennedy Elementary School, has created a new enthusiasm for community events, lifelong learning and a shared dream of prosperity and health.

Miranda Pickner, in her second year as Principal of Kennedy Elementary School, was there when the Kennedy Neighborhood Family Council (NFC) was launched. “There was energy and enthusiasm in the room,” she said, “and that ‘can-do’ spirit has only increased since then.”

There are two places where the school and the community come together. One is at the school itself, where quite a few of the NFC’s events have been held. (Last year’s Winter Wonderland attracted more than 500 people and 150 families!). The other is in the neighborhood, where gatherings and activities create opportunities to connect, become involved, find support and have fun.

Over 500 local residents attend Kennedy’s 2022 Winter Wonderland event

“The Family Council’s efforts have made a big difference for us in the school,” Miranda said. “Parents are more engaged and interested in supporting their children’s learning.”

Miranda came from a family of educators. “My grandparents, parents, aunts and uncles – many of them were teachers,” she said. Growing up with the Lakota nation in South Dakota, Miranda moved to Oregon in middle school. She graduated from Oregon universities and received two degrees in teaching before earning an administrator’s certification. After “finding her sweet spot” as a fifth-grade teacher in St. Paul, she was offered a job as principal in Silverton, which lasted 10 years. Three years ago, Miranda became the principal at Scott Elementary School, and two years ago, she was hired to lead at Kennedy.

“I love social and emotional growth for myself, and I seek to bring that to my job, helping each of our unique teachers develop the gifts and talents they have,” Miranda said. “When our teachers are inspired and happy, the kids are happy too, and that’s the ideal occasion for maximum personal growth and learning,” she said.

When considering the achievements of the Neighborhood Family Council in the last year, she sees a similar attitude and similar results. “I’m so impressed with the number of events they’ve organized. They’ve created trust and safety in the neighborhood, which is a crucial first step. They’ve created community, and opportunities for more family involvement. And the kids, both watching their parents lead and then volunteering beside them at events, are experiencing an ideal community take shape. They’re experiencing what true community can feel like.”