Washington STEAM Multilingual is Now Octavia E. Butler Magnet

July 1st was a special day for the former Washington STEAM Multilingual Academy. It is now Octavia E. Butler Magnet, a Dual-Language STEAM Middle School.

Octavia Estelle Butler was a groundbreaking science fiction author who began writing in the genre at the age of twelve and went on to publish acclaimed novels and a short story collection. She was honored with the prestigious Hugo and Nebula awards in addition to the MacArthur Foundation “Genius” Grant.

Ms. Butler’s legacy serves as an inspiration to the Octavia E. Butler Magnet Bears. She became a renowned author despite her dyslexia diagnosis and began to confidently follow her passion as a middle school student herself. Ms. Butler demonstrated courage and tenacity as her writing stood out in its time for featuring people of color as complex human beings and facing issues of racism head on. Ms. Butler’s work remains relevant today as she was able to foresee many of the problems that students will be tasked with solving through the creativity, innovative spirit, and cultural appreciation they are developing at Octavia E. Butler Magnet.

Octavia E. Butler is an alumna that everyone is proud to honor: for its students, for the community, for Northwest Pasadena and for the future.

Octavia E. Butler Magnet, 1505 N. Marengo Ave., Pasadena, (626) 396-5830 or visit www.pusd.us/Page/4131.