The 8th Ward is a neighborhood in New Orleans, Louisiana. It is one of New Orleans' Downtown Wards with a Creole heritage. The 8th Ward stretches from the Mississippi River in the south to Lake Pontchartrain in the north. The 9th Ward is located east, or "down," with Franklin Avene as its boundary. The 7th Ward is west with Dauphine Street as its border. The 8th Ward is known for its music industry which includes musicians such as Dr. John, the Meters, and Paul Simon. The ward was also the home of New Orleans City Councilmember Mary Wells Scott who served from 1973 to 1979. She is best remembered for her efforts to combat racism and violence against women during her time on the council. Today, the 8th Ward is predominantly African-American but has many other minorities including Latinos, Asians, and immigrants from countries including Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and Colombia. There are several public schools in the 8th Ward including McDonough 35, an elementary school that serves grades PK-5; and Booker T. Washington High School for Math, Science, and Technology, a high school that opened in 2000 and is operated by the Orleans Parish School Board. There is also a private school called St. Aloysius Academy in the 8th Ward that offers classes from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade.