Carnegie Corporation of New York interviews Carmella Royster, 16, who is going into her senior year at César Chávez Public Charter High School for Public Policy in Washington, D.C.

CC: Were you an involved student when you came to César Chávez?

Carmella: When I came here in my sophomore year, I thought it would be a joy ride, like a regular public school. I talked too much in class and “pounced” on everybody. I was not dedicated at all to my education; I wasn’t focused and was immature. In my other school I was failing a couple of classes.

CC: What’s different about César Chávez?

Carmella: Here you have to do work; you can’t get around it. When you don’t turn in homework, you have detention, so your homework has to be done. If you don’t, it’s like a chain reaction and you don’t do well on tests. You have no choice but to focus on self-improvement and maturing. You don’t want to be a “get-by” student at César Chávez.
CC: What public policy experiences have you had?

Carmella: I had a National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) internship for three weeks at the beginning of my junior year. We studied about national parks and I visited the Franklin D. Roosevelt Park, DuPont Circle (which a lot of people don’t realize is a park), the Lincoln Memorial, the Vietnam Memorial and Harper’s Ferry in Virginia. Then I taught first grade students at a nearby school about the importance of protecting parks. I also asked people at the Farragut North Metro Station area to sign postcard petitions asking the president to increase the budget for national parks.

CC: What else?

Carmella: I lobbied on the Hill three times, with NPCA, with Common Cause about national service and with Bread for the World, talking about welfare reform. I also went with other students to lobby for a national memorial for César Chávez.

CC: What other things are happening?

Carmella: I was granted a fellowship with Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) in her constituent services office. My politics and citizenship class brought the mayor to our school, and we started reading the newspaper every day and watching the news morning, noon and night. We also talked with people who are part of the board of education and the city council. When Rod Paige, the Secretary of Education, came to our school, I got up to ask him five questions. He called me a leader.

CC: What are you considering as a career?

Carmella: Communications or law. I want more. I’m hungry for education, and I want to explore the world.

CC: What would you like to add?

Carmella: César Chávez has shed a new light on education for me and has taught me public policy skills and prepared me for college and the work force. People look at schools in D.C. and teenagers and think we’re not doing anything. But just come to our school and see the changes that we’re making in our community and for ourselves academically. My goal is to be a successful adult and make my mark in the world and to give back what I’ve learned, so that everyone can gain from it.

Copyright information | Masthead | Carnegie Corporation of New York web site