Our Students Are Fabulous

I wanted to share with you a few points about the fantastic students we serve! This summer we hosted Metro DC’s first Launch Camp and the participation and outcomes were eye-opening for me. I want to start with a story about one of our students who is no longer attending our partner school (Maya Angelou Public Charter School.)

On Lorraine:

Lorraine is a student who has long struggled with life at home. She did not have a strong relationship with her mother, who passed away when she was 2 years old. She has been in the foster care system for a little while and has lived off and on with relatives, like her grandmother. When she started with BUILD last year, it was easy to see how sweet and considerate Lorraine could be, but also how much of a challenge it was for her to participate consistently. Through conversation with Lorraine, it was apparent that school was important, but it was never as serious as whatever she was facing personally on any given day.

Somehow, we all worked together – her BUILD mentors, teachers, school administration and our staff, to pull Lorraine through the school year before she became so disengaged from school that she would drop out. Toward the end of the school year, Lorraine informed me that she was in the process of being adopted by a relative and would be transferring to a new school. I was disappointed to lose her, but happy at the prospect of stability at home.

During the summer, Lorraine moved to a new home with her new mom. Each time I called the house or tried to mail something to the address we had on file, she never received it. I was hoping that Lorraine would join us for Launch Camp, even though she would be attending another school and may have to drop BUILD as a result. I could not get in contact with her until one day when one of the administrators called my office and said that Lorraine had been calling all week, wondering when Launch Camp would start and how could she be in it! I was all too excited to get her phone number and talk to her. When I did, the first thing she said was that she missed the program and she would definitely be in Launch Camp. When she arrived, she was eager to see her teammates from 9^th grade and participate in every activity until the end. We look forward to Lorraine’s participation in the Incubator this year!

On Natalee:

Natalee is a bright young lady with a desire to improve herself all the time. During Launch Camp, we did an exercise called, My Secret Identity, where students used objects, fictitious attributes and talents or past and present heroes to describe themselves. Natalee responded to the question, “If I were a hero besides myself, I would be (blank), “ by saying that she would be the female Ghandi because she would want to create peace among different countries, people, or groups. In response to the question, “If I could possess a super-power, it would be (blank),” she said she would possess the power of super-intelligence, because then she would be able to fix all of the world’s problems like finding a cure for cancer or AIDS. It is gratifying to see students already embodying civic engagement, a trait we seek to foster through our programming.

On Kimberly and Ecila:

One of our teams, Young Jewelz, is a made up of six young ladies who would like to go into the fashion business, starting with custom t-shirts. Two of those Young Jewelz are Kimberly and Ecila. Kimberly is the Vice President of Marketing and Sales for her team. She is a very outspoken and passionate member of the team. Ecila is the Layout Design Manager, a position that I created because Ecila is a special-needs student and she had difficulty grasping the duties of the positions already prescribed, such as VP of Design, Chief Operating Officer or Chief Financial Officer.

Ecila was unable to attend Launch Camp this summer because her mother did not feel comfortable with her traveling by herself via the Metro. However, four other members of Young Jewelz did attend and met to discuss the direction of the company. During the planning sessions, two members of Young Jewelz wondered if Ecila would be able to handle the needs of business and proposed that a vote should be taken as to whether they would ask the BUILD staff to place Ecila on another team.

However, Kimberly was staunchly against the move. Kimberly vetoed the idea immediately and threatened to leave if the other members went through with their request. She felt that regardless of Ecila’s contribution level, Young Jewelz was a team and Ecila was a part of their identity and the ingredients that make them a success. Needless to say, the other members relented and Ecila will continue to be a shining young jewel!

Those are a few anecdotes about our students in the BUILD program, particularly from our Launch Camp this summer. I look forward to sharing new amazing stories about what is happening at BUILD Metro DC.

Vishnu Dzidzienyo

Incubator Manager