Recently, a Nashville educator and Episcopal School of Nashville parent, Shaka Mitchell, shared with me in the school pickup line that the best time to plant a tree is 100 years ago. He then asked me, “Ketch, do you know the second best time to plant one?” “Right now,” he said. I loved that sentiment and wanted to hug him, because ain’t that the truth, ya’ll? That if we had just been a little more innovative back in the day, a little more bold or courageous way back when, our efforts would have taken root and blossomed through time, and our world today would see a flourishing unique to yesterday’s labors. What’s more, with such prescience, we might even count fewer of the systemic issues, from traffic to poverty, that plague our communities. All this to say, if hindsight is 20/20, maybe foresight is an even sharper skill.
15 years ago, I began to envision a beautiful little school, filled with kids from all the diverse backgrounds. It would be a community school with a focus on service learning and bring families together from across Nashville to share in building a place for kids unlike any other in our city. It was a vibrant dream, and I couldn’t shake it. I decided that the dream was such a plausible one that maybe, just maybe, it could even come true.
Now, building a school from the ground up would prove to be an even tougher task than the one I embarked on ten years prior. That‘s when I brought a rag-tag old-time string band called Old Crow Medicine Show to play for tips on the street corners of Lower Broad. Taking a band from the curb to stages worldwide was a real challenge. It took years of hardship, dogged determination, and some serious divine intervention. Well, as it turns out, those are among the essential attributes required to crack open the doors of a new independent elementary school.
My 2010 dreams quickly turned to letters and phone calls and emails and meetings, culminating in the founding of an Episcopal School of Nashville (ESN) exploratory committee in 2012. Soon after, I became chairman of the board and, after some truly Herculean efforts, we eventually welcomed our first students.
Startups are tough, and perhaps time is the greatest luxury you’ve got to do without. ESN first swung wide its construction trailer doors to that first group of 16 kids in two blended classrooms. Back then, it was situated on St. Ann’s Episcopal Church’s Woodland Street parking lot. We had all the intangible things money can’t buy. Faith that the Nashville community would show up and support a new school venture. Belief that we could find our niche among independent, charter, and public school options. Determination to reach the donors who could make our scholastic dreams possible. But, like any start-up venture, what we never had on our side was time. I volunteered, studied, and networked with many organizations both before, during, and after the launch of ESN. Thankfully, they did have time on their side and offered many lessons to glean from.
Martha O’Bryan Center, East Nashville Hope Exchange, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Middle Tennessee, Casa Azafran, Gideon’s Army, St. Luke’s Community House, and many, many others showed me the different ways the seed of social outreach can germinate in our city. If I could have borrowed anything from those amazing nonprofits when I helped launch ESN, time would have been my first ask. That’s because it takes so much of it to make a change in the world, no matter your pursuit. Organizations that have been doing it for decades, proving themselves, growing, and sustaining are the ones whose tree bears fruit. Still, it’s just as important that new non-profits find the shade and sure footing needed for growth. Just like we need new bands to entertain, and new songs to sing, our city needs new programs, schools, and centers to grow and someday thrive alongside existing ones.
Planting that tree today means thinking ahead about what you want for future generations. It’s about acting on dreams and planning for great things to come. The governing spirit here is optimism. It’s a can-do attitude that helped me found the Episcopal School of Nashville. If we can share this spirit with the next generation, just imagine what 100 years from now our kids and their kids will have done.
About ESN
The Episcopal School of Nashville is an independent 3K–6 school in East Nashville. Enrollment is officially open for the 26-27 school year. Questions can be directed to admissions@esnashville.org.
Fall Fest
The Episcopal School of Nashville marks its 10th anniversary with a community-wide Fall Festival on Sunday, Sept. 21, from 12–4 p.m. The free event will feature games, local food trucks, face painting, giveaways, a bounce house, and more. The celebration reflects ESN’s mission to nurture the joy of learning and the spirit of discovery for every student.
- WHAT: 10th Anniversary Fall Festival at Episcopal School of Nashville
- WHEN: Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025, Noon to 4 p.m.
- WHERE: Episcopal School of Nashville
1310 Ordway Place
Nashville, TN 37206 - WHO: Open to the public. All ages welcome.
