Panel DiscussionStudent and Parent Panel
. Corazon Pineda has completed the 11th grade at Park East High School. She was a district representative for model city council, plays outfield for the Park East softball team and co-captains the cheerleading squad. She is planning to go to college to study Business.
Louis DeJesus, entering his junior year at Park East High School, is involved with the drama and film club. This summer, he is part of Columbia University’s Double Discovery program, an early introduction to college program for high-performing high school students. He is not yet sure what he wants to study in college, but we are sure that he will excel in whatever he chooses to study.
Lori Gonzalez, valedictorian of Bronx International’s first graduating class, 2005, came to New York from Ecuador in the 8th grade. She was president of student government and co-captain of Morris Campus Robotics team. She will attend City University
Ariel Malloy, just completing her freshman year at Bronx Laboratory High School, appeared with her father, Dorian Malloy, a businessman who manages a chain of stores. (Waiting for more to flesh that out.) Ariel would like to be a medical doctor.
After welcoming panelists and audience to the evening’s discussion, Patrick asked the students and their parents, “With a whole city to choose from, what made you decide on the school you’re attending?”
Dorian Malloy said he liked Bronx Lab for his daughter, Ariel, because of its small size and its focus on parent involvement. “They give great homework, the kind that motivates kids to do more than just answer true or false. It’s what I call encyclopedia work,” he said. “The kind that makes them investigate… Inquiry learning they call it. There’s a good mix of book knowledge and hands-on knowledge.”
Ariel agreed. “We get to experience what we learn. After reading Lord of the Flies by William Golding, we took a hiking trip to see what it was like to live what the characters lived. I like Bronx Lab because it’s the first school I’ve been in that all the teachers knew my name; I know all their names and my classmates’ names, too. In my three years in middle school, I had three principals. I didn’t know them and they didn’t know me. Now, I love my school. They’re like a second family to me. We’re there all the time.” She smiled her dad’s way. “I’m with them more than I’m with him… from 8:45 to 4:40.” Ariel said her teachers were always available to talk with, and willing to stay for extra help. “If I didn’t have teachers like that, I wouldn’t have gotten the A in math that I did, because last year (in middle school) I got a 64.”
“Why did I choose Park East?” Corazon Pineda said. “I’m just a narcissist. I’m self-absorbed and arrogant,” the flip 11th grader said to audience laughter. “Park East is my home. I’m there from 7:20 to 6 at night, every day. I have a really good relationship with my teacher in House (homeroom) and with Suzy Ort (ISA Coach). “I had a teacher—Mr. Sugrum—tell me I was slacking, that a 70 wasn’t good enough.” She rolled her eyes. “He had more faith in me than I did. Even when I got a 95, he still said I had the ability to do better! He made me want to try harder.” With Sugrum, her SAT prep scores went from a 980 to 1280. “You know what’s satisfying? The glow in their eyes when they see my report card. That’s my satisfaction.”
Louis De Jesus went from failing to Park East. “My dad’s in the military. I’ve been to 13 schools.” And why is Park East different? “You’re known, you know? Every single student in the school has a special relationship with every single teacher at Park East. I was so glad to see all the As I had. That was something I never thought I could achieve.”
Loudes Avila, mother of Lori Gonzales, said that discipline, support and communication make her daughter’s school a standout. Lori translated for her mom. “My daughter thinks of her school as a second home. It’s like finding other parents, aunts and uncles.”
Lori Gonzales said that teachers paid more attention to students because there were so few. “Our school is for immigrants. They learn language, academics, and the cultures of others.” How did they understand each other? “We learned together. We were African, Spanish, European, Asian. Because we were all immigrants, no one made fun of my speech, so I spoke up. In advocacy group, I gained skills in how to manage people, and the confidence to do more, and in my senior year, I interned in the community at a non-profit TV station dealing with immigrant rights.
“I love robotics engineering and joined the robotics club at Morris High. I went to the robotics competition in Atlanta, and gained more good experience and insight. When I go to college, it will be to major in business and engineering.
“Learning at Bronx International made me realize I could learning anything! English? Sure… and French, Spanish, and German. Which made me think, why not go to Germany?”
The audience’s applause was appreciative.
In the audience question and answer session afterward, the panel was asked:
Do you miss the offerings in a large school?
Ariel Malloy: “What good’s a large school you don’t care about?”
Dorian Malloy: “You can have a lot, or you can lave a little that means a lot.”
Corazon Pineda: “What’s the good of having a lot of extra-curricular offerings if you don’t know the people in them, or like the school enough to want to use them?”
What would you say to why kids don’t try?
Louis DeJesus: “Kids are their own worst enemies. If they don’t think they can do it, they’ve failed before they’ve even started. They need a push from teachers who care. And it has to do with their friends. My friend starting hanging around with me in advisory and she gets an 88 average.”
What would you like to see improved?
Corazon Pineda: “Lunch?... But seriously, we need better space. We’re a little crowded.” |
Summer Institute 2005Counselor's NetworkPedro Noguera |
