Initial Interview - Alexis Date of Interview: Tuesday, 11/14/06 Time of Interview: 5:55 – 6:25 pm Location: Paul Library Subject Name: Alexis Interviewer: Nichole Stewart Interview Questions Part I - Biographical 1) Tell me three words that describe you 2) Where do you live? 3) Tell me about your family 4) Tell me about your school 5) Tell me about your teachers 6) Do you do well in school? How so? How were your grades? 7) Is there anything you would want to change about your school? Your teachers? Part II - Programmatic 8) Have you ever been in a program like this before? If so, tell me about it. 9) Tell me about the Higher Achievement Program 10) Why did you want to participate? 11) Do you think there are any benefits to being in the Higher Achievement program? 12) What have you learned so far? 13) Describe the HAP “Culture”. What do you think of the Culture Constitution? 14) Tell me about Ms. Aishah and Ms. Andrea 15) Tell me about your mentors 16) Describe the perfect mentor 17) Do you know what you want to do when you get older? Future goals/plans? Setting (See previous description of library) Today, Alexis and I arrived together in the library, and there appeared to be no other groups meeting there at that time. We chose the first table in the meeting section, and sat next to each other with our chairs facing each other. The library was relatively quiet. Alexis is an African American female in the 8th grade and is 13 years old. She is an attractive young lady, but struggles with her weight. As we were climbing the stairs to the library, I had to move very slowly to match her pace. Today, Alexis wore her Paul uniform, blue pants, a white Polo shirt with the Paul logo, black shoes, and white socks. She wore her hair straight and neat, and it just brushed her shoulders. She finished off her outfit with large, gold, trapezoid-shaped earrings. As we walked to the library and made small talk along the way, I noticed that she did not seem very enthused about the interview – indifferent may be a good word. We sat down to begin the interview at 5:55 pm. Interview Transcription Nichole: Alright. Just to start off. Um. For this interview, you are the expert and there are no right or wrong answers because you are the one that knows about your experiences and your opinion and your ideas or whatever. So, feel free to say whatever you want to say, and this is…first of all we are not using your name. This is not for Higher Achievement. This is for the University of Maryland. Ok? (Alexis nodded) So feel comfortable to be completely honest. Um. First, I just want you to tell me a little about you, so let’s start…Tell me three words that describe you. Alexis: Hilarious…..Goofy…and…umm (thinking)….friendly? N: Ok…Tell me about your family… A: What about it? N: Just like…Who do you live with? Do you have any brothers or sisters? A: I live with my mother…my father…and one of my sisters… N: You have other sisters? A: I have two full sisters and three half sisters… N: And which one lives with you? A: My full sister… N: Your full sister? A: The one that’s over top of me… N: How old is she? A: 21 N: 21 A: Yes N: And all your other sisters are older? (She nodded). Do you have any brothers? A: Nope. I have play brothers and god brothers. But that’s it. N: Ok. And what do your parents do? A: My father worked the government printing office, but he retired in March 2006. And my mother’s a Production Specialist at the Government Accountability Office. (2:12) N: Ok. Um…Where do you live? Do you live in DC? A: Yes. I live on 13th and Madison. N: 13th and Madison? Is that in NW or? A: Yes. It’s around the corner. N: Oh ok. So it’s not far from here. A: Yeah N: That’s good. So how do you get to school? A: I walk. N: It’s close enough to walk?? A: About 15 minutes. Depends on my speed. If I wanna walk fast…like 8 minutes and if I’m taking my time, like 15. N: What about in the winter time? A: I walk faster in the winter time. N: Because it’s colder… A: Yeah. N: So you go to Paul…Tell me about Paul. A: When I first came I didn’t like it… N: Really? A: …because I had to leave all of my friends from Elementary school. N: So none of your friends from Elementary School came here? A: No, because my school went up to 6th, so my friends stayed to graduate. Like Corrina, she stayed to graduate, but I didn’t. I stayed here. I was going to transfer back into my elementary school, but my father wouldn’t let me. So I had to stay here. And I ended up making a lot of friends once I gave it a chance. (sigh) So now I like Paul. It’s fun. The people are fun. N: So just…the people are what make it fun? A: Yeah. You get to be around people with different attitudes, and it teaches you who to separate yourself from. It’s like ew, I don’t like her attitude sometimes, so I’m not gon be friends with her or just be associates, but not like be enemies. Just know your boundaries and you know certain people you can talk to….can come to about your problems and you know they won’t go telling everybody. As opposed like if you go with somebody, they won’t go around telling everybody. Opposed to some people…They find out they tell everybody. Everybody knows in like five minutes that you go with that person. (4:02) N: Yeah. What about your teachers here? A: I have my problems with them but I know how to handle it, and I know when my mother needs to come into the situation. And sometimes…the teachers try their best, but sometimes teachers, they give you too much attitude and they not respecting you as a child. That’s all I don’t like about some teachers at Paul. And then, when they don’t address you as a child, that makes you not want to be a child and it makes you wanna to jump into that lil adult mode and start gettin snappy back with them when they start gettin snappy with you. N: Do you find that it happens more often…Does it happen with more teachers than it doesn’t happen? A: More… sometimes…because like when I have to try and control myself because if somebody gets me started and mad I’m gon keep going, but I have to learn that they adults sometimes and I have to respect them and if they’re not respecting me as a child then I have to get my mother into the situation. N: So your mother gives you a lot of support here? A: umm hmm N: Does your mother…When she has to come up here….Is she usually able to resolve the situation herself? Are the teachers cooperative with her? A: Sometimes N: Sometimes? A: Well…most of the time...it gets straightened. N: So, tell me about your teachers here A: Well, my math teacher…well she started off the year acting like she was scared of everybody and she let them take advantage of her. N: Was she white or black? A: She’s white. But it’s like…She’s ok…. sometimes she just confuses people. Like she tells you, ok, you got this because of the Vertical Angle Theorem…But what’s the Vertical Angle Theorem? You’re telling us all of these different proofs and everything, but you’re not backing it up! You have to prove what the proof is. What is it? You’re just telling us…you got it because of such and such…but ok, what is that? And then she uses big words when she explaining, and like what does that mean? And you just going down…what is that? What is that? What is that? And she never gets to the point where she answers your first question. That’s what frustrates me about her. (6:14) N: And this is Algebra I? A: No. Geometry N: Geometry A: I took Algebra I last year. N: That’s right…8th grade. Ok. So that was math… A: My second period is gym. N: Ok. A: I like…My gym teacher like…he motivates me. N: Well that’s good… A: I get frustrated with people…like when I try to control myself when I know they tend to jone on people and I just wanna to jone back, sometimes I just have to hold myself and it gets to a point where I know tears come holding back so much anger, and sometimes I just get like I just have to go to the wall…cause we have padded walls…I just go punch the wall. And my teacher he just…he understands because he knows that it’s not easy being big. He’s workin with me because I know that…like…compared to where I was when I first came to Paul…I was pretty big, but know I’m workin on it. I am gettin down to where I should be, and I’m takin it step by step. I’ve learned not to tolerate it. If you wanna jone on me (clicks her teeth) Go ahead. I don’t care. It’s something I’ve heard many times before. Yeah. N: So he motivates you because he understands and because he encourages you… A: Yeah. He helps me. If I want to give up he tells me to keep going. I’ve gotten tougher since I’ve taken that class this year. N: That’s good. A: Like…I’ve learned I can run more than several other people. I run longer. I may not be the fastest person, but I have endurance. And that’s why I don’t let it get to me, because if you keep hearing it over and over. And so many people act like they’re against you, because you’re beautiful and you’re big at the same time. They act like, since you’re big you’re not supposed to be beautiful. And people aren’t supposed to pay attention to you, and I get attention from people. And then they’re like…they’re against you. And my teacher…he like teaches me not to let people get to me…not to get to your weak spot. Let them see your strong side. (8:11) N: Wonderful A: I don’t get along with my Science teacher. N: Why? A: Because like…he thinks I’m dumb. He knows I’m smart he just wants…he wants to seem like I’m dumb or something. Like…his class is boring so I tend ta sit like this in his class. (She slumps in her chair and leans her head in her hand looking bored). Like he tried to get me in trouble one day. He sent a letter home one day. He know he checked my homework, and he sent a letter home. And then I got in trouble, but then my homework was right in my notebook. He had it checked off, he just hadn’t checked it off on his paper. And then sometimes…like if I’m sitting like this he’ll call on me to answer a question and I get it right and he’ll feel dumb. And then when I’m not raising my hand, the second I raise my hand he’ll look at me and turn away and won’t answer. And then if I ask him a question. My hand is up there, and then it’ll be another person and another person and another person like a minute after my hand’s been up. (Pointed them out over the imaginary room). He’ll answer all those questions, look at me, then he’ll wait another 5 minutes and he call on me. By that time I forgot my question. I’m like...I don’t know. I’m just through. Like I don’t have time for this. (9:24) N: Is he a new teacher? A: Yeah, he’s new. N: What subject? It’s science, but what…like Bio…no Physical Science? A: Yeah…and Space Science…stuff like that N: Well I’m sorry to hear that. A: And next…4th period I have US History. Like…My US History teacher…he already knows how I am, because he taught me in 6th grade at Paul, and then he moved back to 8th grade where he was at first. So he already knows my attitude. He knows how I am. He know like how I respond to certain things, so…that’s about it. N: So because he knows those things you guys get along? A: Yeah N: Ok. A: Uh. Then I have lunch. I go to Latin after that. My Latin teacher had me last year so he know my attitude already too. And he knows how I respond to… like when people say stuff to me he knows how I’mma respond already. So he knows the people who are here to learn so he knows who to separate me from. If I’m having trouble with somebody he’s like leave it alone it’s not worth it. And last I have English. My English teacher, me and her we kinda bumped heads the first day of school…and…We get along now. N: Yeah? A: Yeah N: That’s good. So you said you liked math. Is that your favorite class this year? A looked at my like I was crazy because she doesn’t like her math teacher much N: (laughing) What’s your favorite class this year A: Um. English? N: English? A: Yeah. N: Ok. How’d you do on your Progress Reports? A: I got all… I got A’s. The only class I got a B in was gym I got a 89. N: Oh, that’s close. So probably by the end of the quarter…I mean the.. A: They mailed report cards yesterday N: They mailed out the actual report cards? Oh ok. You’ll have to show it to me when you get it. Um. So you got your Progress Reports for the second advisory already? A: Uh huh N: Ok. So that was for the first advisory. A: Just 1st advisory N: Do you already know what you got on your report card? A: No N: You have no idea (she shook her head). No. Is there anything you would change about Paul? A: Uniforms. It’s like…it’s not the uniforms, it’s the rules that go along with the uniforms. Can’t wear these socks, can’t wear earrings past this size. You can’t wear this, you can’t wear that. Dah dah dah. Dah dah dah. It’s to the point where everyone looks the same. You’re not being able to express yourself fully. Like ok, you’re being told to wear this. You’re being told to wear that. You’re being told to dress a certain way. I can’t take people telling me how to dress. And then you have to have your shirt tucked in…Black shoes! N: Um hm. Do you see any benefit to the uniform? A: Well I guess they don’t want people to get hurt, because certain people may have this, certain people may have that…but it’s like, ok, our earrings don’t have to be a certain size or… (12:34) A accidentally kicked me under the table A: I’m sorry N: It’s Ok. I’m trying to get everything. And Paul has an after school program right? Like a tutoring program? A nodded N: What made you choose Higher Achievement program over the Paul after school tutoring? A: Because I don’t need tutoring N: That’s right. So you’re in it more for the enrichment activities. A: Tutoring is for kids in Prep Academy. N: What’s Prep Academy A: Like Paul accepted you, but you’re not fully in 7th grade…like you don’t have all the skills to like be in 7th grade so they might put you in Prep. But some people refuse to let their kids be in Prep, so it’s sorta like they’re stayin back so in Prep…the next year... you’re supposed to spend a year in Prep and then next year you go to 7th N: Paul starts in 6th grade…Ok, so during the sixth grade year they’re in… A: No...they have 6th graders…If you come from the other school in 6th grade, they may have passed you to the 7th grade, but if you wanna come to Paul they might either put you in 7th or Prep academy. And some people don’t want their kids to be in Prep Academy, but the good thing about Prep is that after second advisory you take a big test…the same test to see if your skills have improved…and if your skills have improved they put you in seventh so you don’t have to do seventh next year. But some people get upset, because they don’t pass the test like by a coupla points or so, and then they end up stayin in Prep. And then the next year when their friends pass to 8th they’re in 7th. (14:14) N: And they only get one chance to pass the test? A: Um Hm N: Interesting. Have you ever been in an after school program besides Higher Achievement? A: No N: No? It’s your first? A: Yes. N: So tell me what made you choose the Higher Achievement program? A: My mother. N: Your mother. Do you know how she heard about it? A: My school. My elementary school. N: They recommended you? A: Yes. N: Ok. So tell me about Higher Achievement…in your words. A: It’s like…a program where you can be yourself freely. Like you don’t have to worry about what people think like in terms of academics. Like some places you may feel that you have to dumb yourself down to fit in and stuff, but at HAP you’re around a whole bunch of other people who are at the same level of intelligence as you, so you get to express yourself and you get to be smart. You don’t have to act dumb like some other people. N: Right…Do you feel that way at school…sometimes? A: Not all the time because like I get put in advanced classes with my other friends who are equal too…and so…yeah… N: Ok. Tell me more about the Higher Achievement program A: It’s fun. Like it’s sort of like school; especially in the summer, cause you go from 8 to 4…so that’s all day for 6 weeks over the summer. N: What do you do over that eight hours? A: We take math, social studies, literature and science. N: So it really is like a regular school day A: And then you get a fun class N: And that’s every day? A: Yeah. And then Friday we go on field trips….to museums N: Do you enjoy those summers? A: Sometimes. Like my first year I didn’t enjoy it cause I wasn’t used to it but after that it was pretty fun cause you get to be wit your friends all day. (16:19) N: What else…? A: Um. It’s sort of like school but it’ more interactive than school. It’s a smaller teacher- student ratio. So you get more one on one time with your teachers. N: Like in your mentoring sessions? A: Um hm. And…that’s really it. You get to talk to the people at HAP. Like the HAP staff. If you’re having problems, you can talk to them. N: And do you feel like um, they’re really…they really care about you and they’re really understanding about your situation? A: Umm Hmm N: What do you think is the biggest benefit of being in the Higher Achievement program? N: You get placed in like the best High Schools, and they help you apply to other programs. Like me and Ruth and Brielle. They helped us and they recommended us for Jack Kent Cooke. We were the three from this Ward, and I was the only one from this Ward that didn’t win, but I din really care…but still. It really helps you with things like Jack Kent Cooke. It pays for any school no matter the cost….any summer program. I was really hoping to get that cause I was trying to go to private school next year, but hey, you win some you lose some. N: Can you apply again later? A: I don’t know. N: Um. Are there any downsides to being in the Higher Achievement program? A: You have to be dedicated to come and stay the entire after school and the summer. You have to be dedicated to come to HAP. And disciplined…well no. That’s not really a downside. Downside…(thinking) I don’t think there are any downsides… N: Ok. Tell me about…Tell me about Ms. Aishah and Ms. Andrea. A: Ms. Aishah is cool. She’s cool. I’m cool with her. She’s not bad. I’ve been cool with her since I’ve been here. She’s ok. Ms. Andrea sometimes she just adds her two cents sometimes when it’s not needed. Like I say…adding two cents when you have exact change. N: (laughing) I’ve never heard that before. A: I just made that up the other day. N: (chuckling) That’s cute. A: It’s like..it’s not needed. Sometimes she just adds stuff that’s not needed even when you not talking to her. That;s why I haven’t really clicked with her since she’s been here….She first came in the summer. She’s alright as a person. It’s just her way sometimes. But she’s not a bad person. She has good intentions. It’s just some people just don’t get along with her. N: Ok. Ms. Aishah talks a lot about the “culture” of Higher Achievement. Tell me what she means when she talks about the “culture”…in your opinion. A: Cause we made up this thing…this paper…and we had named different reasons and HAP made a Culture Constitution like what makes the perfect scholar. Like if you abide by all these things you are like a perfect scholar in their eyes. Like if you a independent thinker, a goal- setter, proactive, prepared and respectful. And their eyes you’re like the perfect scholar and so we wrote that what scholars should abide by in Higher Achievement. (19:51) N: Did you help write it? Did the students help write it? A: Yes N: Ok. I didn’t know that. And um…do you think that that’s a positive thing or a good thing? Useful? A: Yeah N: So how do you use it within the program? A: You get rewarded for displaying these acts. N: Rewarded with…? A: You get point stickers and whoever has the most stickers by a certain period wins. N: So you’ve been here …three years you said… A: Um hm… N: What do you think…What are some of the things you’ve learned from Higher Achievement since you’ve been here? A: I’ve had big self esteem growth. Like when I first came to HAP I didn’t really talk to anybody at all. I was to myself. I sat alone. Then I ran for ambassador and I ended up winning with a seven minute speech. N: You’re the one that wrote about gentrification. A: Yeah N: I read that in the paper before I ever met you. That was really impressive actually. That was very impressive. I remember I actually showed that to people because I thought that was such a good job. A: It was fun. HAP has kinda taught me not to let people get to me as well. Because sometimes I have anger issues…or I get sad about stuff. But now it’s like whatever. Think what you want to think. People gon talk about you. Like my mother she told me people talk about you before you are born, while you livin they gon talk about you after you die. So that’s life. N: That’s true. That is very true. So how…other than.. outside of the…having the opportunity to be the Ambassador, how else has Higher Achievement helped to increase your self esteem? A: Public speaking, and helps you build friendships. Stuff like that. N: How do the staff help with that? A: They talk to you and ask you how you’re doing. Stuff like that. Help you solve your problems. N: They do. A: Umm Hmm N: So what about your mentors? A: Mentors are fun N: They are? A: Yes. N: Have you had good experiences with all your mentors since you’ve been here? A: Yes. N: Tell me about your mentors this year. Who are your mentors? A: Ms. Tonia, Mr. William, and Ms. Gail N: And so Mr. William is math, and Ms. Tonia is technology right? And so Ms. Gail is Literature. A: Right N: If you could envision…well you’ve had good experiences with all your mentors so you’ll be able to be…this is the question I asked you before when you were sitting with Calvin. A: Yeah N: What’s your perfect mentor? Give me some qualities of the perfect mentor or why you liked the mentors you’ve had so far. A: They’re friendly and understandable. N: Understandable? A: Like they teach you and they making sure you understand how to relate it to reality. That’s really it. N: Umm Hmm A: They’re friendly and they have a positive attitude because if they come in here and they’re moody and stuff. The chances are I’m going to be unfriendly back. N: Have you ever experienced that here? A: No N: You experience it at school? A: Umm hmm (Yes) N: Do you know what you want to do when you get older? When you graduate? A: I’m hoping to be a singer or a dancer or choreographer. N: Ok. A: IF that does not come true…um…I don’t know…Anything. I want a successful career. Not anything bad, like working at a department store or something. No. I want to do something with my life. N: I have no doubt. You say you like math. There’s lots of stuff you can do with math. A: Yeah. N: Well alright my dear. I think that is everything. (24:35) Interview ended at 6:25 pm. 17