By Pragyan Dahal
My family moved to Lakeview after the 2015 earthquake in Nepal. At the time, we were searching for safety, stability and new opportunities. We did not choose the Fort Worth area because of its size or reputation. Rather, we came because it offered a school system and a community where we could rebuild our lives and move forward.
Most of my life here has been centered on L.D. Bell High School. I am a student in the International Baccalaureate program, a member of the band and a leader in several organizations. The school has given me opportunities I would not have had otherwise.
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Advanced classes push me to think a lot. Teachers encourage me to aim higher. And I have the ability to lead one of the largest high school bands in the state.
These chances are not equally available to all students everywhere, and living here has made me realize how access to strong schools can completely shape a student’s path.
What stands out is how the community supports growth. Teachers push me to think more deeply, and friends challenge me to improve in both academics and music.
At the same time, the Nepali temple nearby has kept me tied to my culture. It is also where I tutor younger students whose families, like mine, are still learning how to navigate education in this country. That work has shown me how gaps in language, resources and opportunity affect people directly, even when they live in the same city or attend the same schools.
Living here is not without problems. The summers are scorching, the traffic can be exhausting, and sometimes the city feels too spread out. But even with these difficulties, I see how much more access I have here than I did in the past. That contrast has made me think carefully about inequality in education and opportunity, and how much it depends on where a person happens to live.
Over time, Fort Worth has become the place where I gained leadership, service and independence. It is where I learned to balance school, family and community responsibilities, and where I began to see myself as someone who could not only take opportunities but also create them for others.
This city has shaped the way I think and the way I contribute. It has given me both the space to grow and the perspective to recognize that growth is not equally possible for everyone. For that reason, and for the chance to rebuild and thrive here, I will always be grateful for this place.
Pragyan Dahal’s family moved to Fort Worth’s Lakeview neighborhood near Hurst after the 2015 Nepal earthquake.
Lakeview
Total population: 6,895
Female: 55% | Male: 45%
Age
0-9: 14%
10-19: 12%
20-29: 18%
30-39: 11%
40-49: 16%
50-59: 15%
60-69: 10%
70-79: 2%
Education
No degree: 6%
High school: 17%
Some college: 36%
Bachelor’s degree: 29%
Post-graduate: 12%
Race
White: 45% | Black: 29% | Hispanic: 11% | Asian: 10% | Two or more: 4%
Click on the link to view the schools’ Texas Education Agency ratings:
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