Initial Interview - Mary Date of Interview: Tu-11/28/06, Th-11/30/06 Time of Interview: 6:10-6:30p, 7:48-8p, 7:52-8:07p Location: Paul Public Charter School- Library Subject Name: Mary Interviewer: Nichole Part I - Biographical 1) Tell me three words that describe you 2) Where do you live? 3) Tell me about your family 4) Do you have a computer at home? 5) Tell me about your neighborhood 6) Where do you go to school? Please describe. 7) Tell me about your teachers? Do you feel supported and understood? 8) Do you have a favorite subject? 9) Do you do well in school? How so? How were your grades? 10) Is there anything you would want to change about your school? Your teachers? Part II - Programmatic 11) Have you ever been in a program like this before? If so, tell me about it. 12) Tell me about the Higher Achievement Program 13) Why did you want to participate? 14) Do you think there are any benefits to being in the Higher Achievement program? 15) What have you learned so far? 16) Describe the HAP “Culture”. What do you think of the Culture Constitution? 17) Tell me about Ms. Aishah and Ms. Andrea? What kind of expectations do they have? 18) Tell me about your mentors? Do you feel that they and the staff are supportive? 19) Describe the perfect mentor 20) Do you think that gender makes a difference? What about race? 21) Do you know what you want to do when you get older? Future goals/plans? Description of Setting (See Previous Descriptions of Library) The library was lively that evening, with other groups in different sections and in the computer lab. We could hear their conversations as we conducted our interview. Mary is an 11 year old African American girl in the 6th grade. She attends Truesdell Elementary School in DC. I had not originally planned to include Megan in the study, but as I was speaking to the other students about participating, I noticed her watching me, and eventually she began coming up to me, after I spoke to each student, and asked if she could “join”. She had no idea what I was doing with the other students, but was insistent that she be a part of it. I put her off the first several times, but towards the end of the evening, I asked her what school, she attended. When she told me she attended Truesdell, one of the Ward 4 feeder schools classified as being in need of improvement, I told her she could participate. As was evidenced by the previous encounter, Mary is a loud, boisterous little girl, who has no problem speaking her mind. She has a bit of a ghetto personae, and is quick to catch an attitude with those around her. I have had pleasant experiences with Mary, but have observed her being obstinate with others, and have on a few occasions had to correct her attitude myself. Overall, however, she is an agreeable child who tries to do the right thing. Mary is of average height for her age with a slim build. She has an average brown complexion, with medium length hair that she usually wears up in unkempt ponytail. I often notice an excessive amount of grease or oil in her hair, and it usually moves down to frame her hairline in a shiny line. As Truesdell does not require uniforms, Mary is allowed to wear her street clothes, and this evening is wearing blue jeans and a purple sweater, with a scarf wrapped around her neck. Mary has a bright smile that she shares often with those around her. Though it may disappear quickly when her attitude rears its head, she commonly greats me with a smile and occasional hug. She is definitely “too grown”. She is enthusiastic about being interviewed, and grabs the tape recorder to speak directly into the mic like she’s holding a microphone. She is very dramatic in her answering and gives detailed, extended answers to all of my questions. Again, Mary demonstrates that she has no problem speaking her mind, even if it is to speak negatively of the adults or programs at either her school or at Higher Achievement. Because of Mary’s forthcoming nature, we had to break up the interview into three sessions to get through all of the questions. The interviews took place on Tuesday during both Community Meeting and Gathering Time, and on the following Thursday during Gathering Time. Interview Transcription - PartA 11/28 – 6:10 pm N: Alright…so first we’re gonna talk about you a little bit. So, first…start off with telling me three words that describe you… M: Um…Fun…Outgoing…and Beautiful N: Oh…alright! Let me see here…You need to give me an Alias too…(skip discussion of alias) Ok, so tell me about your family M: Well…sometimes they can be a pain in the butt (I laugh) but overall I still love em and they’re fun to dance with, to talk to, and to just like play in the house…like we play catch or whatever….and my family is …is like…a family that be’s in the house…I mean be’s outside all the time… N: Like in the back yard? M: Like they be somewhere else all the time, but yet we still like talk as family…we have family meetings or whatever…so… N: Do you live with your mom or your mom and your dad or your grandma…who lives in your house with you? M: Um…Two big sib…no…two big siblings… N: Like brother? Sister? M: Brother and sister N: How old are they? M: One is seventeen and one is fifteen…or sixteen…I don’t know…and I live with both my parents N: Ok. And what does your mom do? M: She work for the government N: Ok. Do you know what she does for the government? M: No N: Is she a secret agent for the government? M: I dunno… N: Ok. What about your dad? M: He uh…works…don’t you know where Safeway is? Don’t you know where the big church is? N: Uh uh M: *she sighs* On Piney Branch… N: Ok. M: It’s this big church, and after the church is Payless, and like…go across the street, it’s like this health center…yeah that’s where my dad works… N: He works at the Health Center? M: Um hm N: Ok…Um…and you live where? M: On 8th Street, NW (3:01) N: Oh, so that’s close to here. M: Yeah N: So can you walk? You don’t go to Paul…you go to Truesdell right? M: Um hm N: Can you…where’s Truesdell? M: Like right across the street N: From here? M: No N: From your house? M: Yeah N: So you get to walk to school every day? M: Yeah N: That’s convenient. Do you…what about when it gets cold and starts snowing? M: I still walk to school but…*gives a look* N: But it gets real cold I bet… M: Yeah! ( I laugh) and I can’t take it so either I stay home watchin movies or drinkin hot chocolate… N: Oh that sounds like fun. Do you have a computer at home? M: Yeah… N: You do? Ok. So you can do your homework and stuff…you don’t have to do it here on these computers. You can do your… M: Yeah N: Ok. Um… So you go to Truesdell. Tell me about Truesdell M: I don’t think Truesdell…well…Truesdell is closing after two years… N: Really? M: Yeah. So, I don’t think Truesdell should stay open, cause people having protests, saying like Truesdell should stay open whatever, but I don’t think Truesdell should stay open…but then again… N: Why don’t you think it should stay open M: Because one, the walls are peeling…the food is SO TIRING when you eat the same thing over and over again N: Um hm…is the food better at Higher Achievment than it is at Truesdell M: Like equal…but then again I want the school to stay open because…for all the kids that didn’t graduate from Truesdell or whatever… I want to go back to Truesdell to like um… see people when they’re in 6th grade so… N: You’re in the 6th grade…? M: um hm N: So next year… M: I’ll be in the 7th N: So you’re gonna stay in Truesdell and be in the 7th grade M: NO!! N: Oh, where are you going next year? M: I’m going to Lincoln or Paul N: Oh ok. Uh, Tell me about your teachers at Truesdell (5:18) M: Ohhhh…I got (??) Well…Ms. 1 She’s nice at times, but sometimes I think she gets too carried away. Like if we say one peep out of our mouths, if you be like…”Can I have an eraser?”… That’s like one week of …one week of recess that’s cut off for us…and it’s like we had the whole month off because people kept asking for pencils, they kept laughing or whatever, and I’m one of the people that laughs, because it’s funny what people do while they’re not writing N: Um hm…and she teaches English or Literature? M: No, she teaches Art N: Is she older or younger? M: She’s like…20 something N: So she’s pretty young. Is she white or black? M: Black.. N: Ok. Go ahead… M: Mr. 2. He teach music… N: Ok. And is he young or old M: Old!! N: (laughing) And is he white or black? M: Blllack! N: (laughing) Ok… M: And he wastes his breath so much, like today is a perfect example. We had this test…and it was like nobody was saying nothing and he was like Yayayayaya! Yayayayayaya! And we had this test…and I ain’t have no pencil cause usually when I go to music, he always gives us a pencil when it’s a test. So he said, don’t raise your hand cause I’m not gon give you no pencil. And so half the class basically failed, because we din do the test. And then Mr. 2 told us to point out a note….like the music note…and I din hear him…so he said “F!”…I’m like…what???. (7:20) N: He put an F on your paper? M: No, he put an F on the lil grading thing N: Really… M: He said F, and I was like…I din hear you! He was like…well that’s what people…like usually when I say I don’t hear you teachers like say it again and then I do it.. N: Right M: But he just started yelling at me and saying “Why you din hear me? Why you din hear me? You was talking!” And I was not talking at all! I wasn’t talking, I was just like dis (leans chin on hand) just waiting for him to call my name, and when he said it I din hear him so I was like “Can you say it again?” He was like “F”. I’m like…What???! N: Did you tell your mom about that? M: No, this happened today. Imma tell her too. And when we…if she come up to the school, Imma ask can you go to M. 2’s class N: Mr. 2 is the other teacher? M: Um hm N: Does your mom have to come up to the school a lot to talk to the teachers about the stuff they do? M: Um Um N: No? Ok. M: And um…Mr. 3, he do computers N: Mr. 3? M: Um hm N: And he is old or young M: Middle age N: Like in his 30’s or 40’s or something like that? M: Yeah N: And is he white or black M: Black N: And he teaches what? M: Computers N: ok. M: And…he’s a pervert N: He’s a pervert? M: Yes!! N: Why is he a pervert?? M: He looks at little girl’s behinds N: Oh my goodness! (8:42) M: Cause…when I was at computers…I din have on my belt, and so you could kinda see my draws or kinda like a little bit of my buttcrack or whatever…(chuckles) N: Like right here? (pointed to my lower back) M: Yeah! And I was like…I was like tryin to pull it up…and I pulled it up pulled it up and when I got up he was like…”Megan you need a belt” and how would he know that if he wasn’t lookin?? And I was like…okaayyy.. So I had a jean jacket and the jean jacket stayed over my waste the WHOLE ENTIRE DAY N: That was a good idea. A substitute belt. Other than that do you get along with Mr. 3 at all? M: Yeah. He’s pretty fun but…I don’t know…And my homeroom teacher is Ms. 4, she got married last year N: Is she young or old, black or white M: Mixed! N: She’s mixed? And is she young or old? M: Um. Probably in her late 20’s early 30’s. Probably, I don’t know N: So you’re only with her a few minutes of the day during homeroom? M: Yeah. Um. Yeah, she’s pretty funny. We don’t have her…she don pile homework on us or whatever. She’s funny…like today…we was reading our little journal thingies, and some of the stuff that wasn’t funny…or was funny…she’ll be crackin up laughin and she be jonin on kids or whatever…and we just be ? through the day and when it’s time to get serious she likel take our recess for a day then a day then a day…or we have detention for one minute two minutes… N: This is in homeroom? M: Yeah N: So you are in there for a longer period of time? M: Um hm ..And…that’s about it N: That’s all your classes? What about math and science and social studies and all that M: Yeah N: What about those teachers? M: Oh. Those teachers…that’s Ms. 4 N: Oh, she teaches all the main course. Ok. I see what you’re saying. Alrighty. Now…Do you feel like your teachers are supportive of you? Do you feel like they listen to you at school? (11:20) M: One don’t N: One doesn’t? Which One M: Mr. 2 N: Mr. 2? That’s the one you said was a pervert? M: No N: No M: Mr. 3 was the pervert N: Mr. 2 is the …no.. M: Mr.2 …he wastes his breath (laughing) N: Ok…the music teacher…because he gave you that F… M: Yeah! Cause I din hear him! And he said, “Oh that’s what you’re gonna say when you go to Paul?” I’m like yeah! N: If you don’t hear… M: Yeah! I’m like, yeah! He said…he was like… if you start talking back then they gon send you somewhere else…I was like, I just need to know what you said! He’s just making a long process. Just say what you said and get it over with. N: Would you say your teachers have high expectations of you or low expectations of you? M: Mr. 2 have low expectations of me, but the other teachers, they have high ones N: They do have high ones. Ok. Do you have a favorite subject? M: No. N: No? Not at all? M: No… Yes!! N: What is it? M: Reading and science (12:35) N: Alright…and…how do you do in school…how did you do on your report card? Tell me what you got in all of your classes M: B’s and C’s N: B’s and C’s…What’d you get your C’s in? M: Ummmmmmmmm N: Music? M: Yes! No, I got a C in music. A B in Art, computers, reading, science, and math. Social studies was a C N: So Social Studies and Music you got C’s and the rest you got B’s in M: Um Hm N: Ok. So is there anything you would change about your school? M: Um hm! The food…our uniform color N: What color is your uniform? M: Yellow and blue…but I would…well…either our uniform color or no uniform at all…and the teachers and the staff N: What would you change about the staff? M: One Mr. 2, and two Mr. 3, and Mr. 5 (13:52) N: Who is Mr. 5 M: He’s the Assistant N: The Assistant Principal (she nods). Do you not get along with him? I mean, why would you want to change him? M: He’s MEAN!! Like he snatch…Ok…like say this is like a person that did something wrong, he would snatch them like that! (she snatches something off of the table) N: He snatches the students? M: Yeah! He’ll snatch like that and say “Sit down! Sit down!” Like yell in your face! Like Dadadadda! Dadadadada! And some of it is not even that serious. You din bring no book to the lil…cause sometimes it’s raining and we can’t be outside…if you didn’t bring no book…then he just yells at you like “Where’s your book! Where’s your book! Yayayayaya!” Same like with Mr. 2, but Mr. 2 um um…can’t have it. I don’t never want to go to Mr. 2’s class EVER!! N: I know you’re probably pretty frustrated right now about what happened today. M: Yes!!! N: Well now…ok…Your Assistant Principal’s name is tell me one more time…I should be writing this down but I just wanna listen…(she giggles) so tell me again his… M: Mr. 5 N: Mr. 5…is he young or old? M: Old N: Like in his 40’s or 50’s? Or, does he have gray hair? M: He ain’t got no hair N: Oh, is he white or black M: Black N: Ok. So he’s got a bald head. Has he been there the whole time you’ve been there? M: Yes and somebody else N: So he was there before. Ok. We’re gonna have to split this up M: No!!! Just keep going!!! N: By the time…it’s already 6:30 and by the time I get you downstairs they’re already gonna be leaving M: Yes!! N: What I’m gonna do is…I’m gonna get you during Gathering Time cause I wanna talk to you about Higher Achievement a little bit M: Ok N: Ok. (15:38) Interview Transcription Part B – 11/28/06 – 7:48p N: Part 2 of Interview with Mary. Ok, um….Have you ever been in an after school program before? M: Yeah N: Tell me about it M: This one at Brightwood. Um… It was pretty fun. My best friend Keisha was there so we had a whole rack of fun. We was pretending like we was cousins and everything. We was eatin off each other and everything. It was so good. N: What did you do during… at that after school program? What was.. M: It was…We was talking bout God…and like soon as we got there we started out homework…after we finished our homework…we ate snack…and after snack we go to our classes and after classes we go to our special… N: Is special is like studios here? M: Um hm N: Ok. So did you attend Brightwood or was that just… you go from Truesdell to Brightwood M: From Truesdell to Brightwood…and then…that was third grade…In fourth grade I went from Truesdell to Truesdell cause Truesdell had their own after care there. N: Um hm M: And…I went there…in fourth grade it was CRAZY! It was fights, arguments, fights, arguments…It was like… N: This is at Truesdell (she nods) Wow. M: It was like fights and arguments. I wasn’t in the um fights, but I was in the arguments. And…but I got in a fight with this girl named Aisha, she got on my nerves. I wanna fight her this year…I’m like..(punches hand in fist) ummmmm! N: Ok…but we’re not gonna do any of the fighting though right? M: yeah N: Ok…bring it down… M: (Takes a deep breath) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8… N: (laughing) That’s what you have to do! So what made you switch from that one to Higher Achievement? (1:53) M: Um…when…I dunno…Cause my brother…He was in Higher Achievement before me… N: Did you get referred by one of your teachers or did your parents just say… M: Oh yeah! Cause Higher Achievement…they came to my school! And like my mom…she liked how Higher Achievement worked. Yeah. She liked how Higher Achievement worked. She signed me up and everything and we had an interview. And so I came here for 5th grade, for the summer, then the fall…but I didn’t really come for 5th grade…I din really come for Higher Achievement in the 5th grade, cause to me, I din really care for Higher Achievement because it wasn’t people that I liked there…It was just like all…B.S. Do you know what I’m talking about? BS? N: Um Hm. So was that at this center or were you at another center? M: This center N: So what made you stay during the 6th grade year? M: The friends! N: The friends. So you know more people here now? M: Yeah. N: Ok. M: And it’s kinda like…it’s really fun N: It’s fun M: Yeah. This year N: So what’s the difference between this year and last year? M: The difference is that 5th grade was boring…it was empty N: The 5th grade was empty? M: It was empty N: There was just nothing there, huh M: Then in 6th grade, a whole urge to feel! Like our house (singing) N: (Chuckle) So that was at the center or just in general? M: At the center (whispering) N: So there’s more of the stuff you like here now and more of the activities M: Um Hm N: What do you think are the benefits…or do you think there are any benefits to being in the Higher Achievement program? M: Umm…(thinking)…Uhhh….no…not really (4:00) N: Do you think that if you stay here for four years…or even after just a couple years do you think you’re gonna get anything out of it? M: Yeah. Probably so… N: What do you think you’re gonna get out of it? M: More…how to write…a …a essay…or how to do the math…cause you already learnt it and when they do it in the classroom you can be like oh! I know this stuff and you’re just gonna be like speeding through it N: Is that happening to you already? M: Kinda…cause like first advisory I didn’t really do well…but I’m striving… for like…I’m striving… N: That’s one of your weekly words isn’t it…strive… M: I think so N: I’m sorry…go ahead M: I’m striving for to be on honor roll this year, so I’m just tryna like…cause we had this test today, and I really think I did so well…it’s not even funny. Cause like I saw my scores on the lil thingy…and it says…cause the number …cause the number that I put is like…cause it’s five questions of ten…so…(paused as I looked at the recorder) N: I’m just making sure it’s recording…go ahead M: Oh…five questions of ten…so it was like I have four out of five, three out of five…four out of five, five out of five…whatever whatever whatever, and I had 9 out of 10..whatever… N: And you knew all of the answers?(5:29) M: Yeah N: Well that’s wonderful sweetie! So your grades have definitely improved since you’ve been in Higher Achievement? M: That’s what I think N: Ok. What about. So what do you think overall that you’ve learned so far being in Higher Achievement? M: Um. Our words…our weekly words. I put em in my essays now…and I read …I read more…It was like…(I push the recorder towards her and she picks it up and holds it to her mouth) The more I read…the more I get smarter. That’s a quote from Mary. Look it up! On Google! N: (Laughing) You’re not supposed to say your name! So you’ve learned new words and you’ve learned…you like to read more…so what else have you learned? Or is there anything else that you’ve learned? M: Nope! N: So I hear people talk a lot here about the culture of Higher Achievement. What do they mean when they talk about the culture of Higher Achievement? M: I don’t know. I don’t hear people talking about the culture of Higher Achievement N: What about the Culture Constitution? M: I dunno (shrugs) N: You know…the Culture Constitution? The thing that yall stand up and yall say it? M: Ohhh!! I don’t care for that. I don’t really say it. N: What don’t you care for about it? M: To me I’m just wasting my breath (7:07) N: Why do you feel that way? M: *sigh* Cause…It just makes me sick! N: (chuckling) Why does it make you sick? M: *sighs* It’s that they’re fake N: Oh, it’s fake? M: Yeah N: What’s fake about it? M: Like…yeah…sure you would like a Culture Shout Out or whatever, but I think the people don’t really mean it. Like the students told them to do it. Whatever…I know sometimes I’ll do that… N: Oh…you’ll tell your mentor to… M: Yeah…but…most of the time…I just lay back…do what I need to do…and they just give me a Culture Shout Out N: Do you think there’s any benefit to like giving students compliments and stuff like that? Do you think it makes them feel good or anything? M: It makes them feel good, but it makes them show off at the same time. Because when they…Cause I think when kids get a compliment…They’re like I did so well and maybe I’ll just show off…They’re just extra…they’re putting extra stuff added to it. They’re just kinda making their…um..uh.. N: Egos? M: Yeah N: What about like the things on the Culture Constitution? Like…what does it say…being prepared…thinking outside of the box…going above and beyond…being a proactive leader…what do you think about that stuff? M: I think that…*sighs* I might say something that’s too harsh! N: Feel free to be completely honest here M: Ok. I think Higher Achievement is just trash N: Um Hm. What makes you think that? M: Cause…they just. I think sometimes the parents are just wasting their money. Cause…it’s like most of the students that get…that have…umm…Week of the Day…Student of the Week or something like that…I think it’s mostly the people who do what they need to do…but it’s only like 5 percent of the people who do what they need to do get student of the week…but like 75 percent just waste their parents money (9:38) N: So, do you think that it benefits you at all? Do you feel like you’re doing what you’re supposed to do? What they expect of you? M: Sometimes. But I just don’t care about it…the only reason why I’m doing this is because now I have somebody like…that I can talk to. Now I have somebody that I can walk to Higher Achievement to…cause last year I din really have nobody …that went to Higher Achievement…I din really have nobody that I could walk with. Cause it started to get colder…and it started to get darker earlier, and like…it’s like after cheerleading practice I’m walking by myself…in the dark N: Oh…we definitely don’t want that M: I’m like…so I just didn’t come no more…I didn’t come no more N: So um M: And I TOLD my mom…I said…I don’t wanna be in that. I do not want to be in it. She said…You’re gonna be in it! I don’t CARE for this program really. N: What would make it better in your opinion? M: More field trips in the summer. We go to the same freakin museum every freakin Friday and it’s just boring boring boring… N: What about the academic component…do you think that needs to change some? Do you think it benefits you at all? (11:07) M: It needs to change a lot. N: How could it change…to make it better? M: I dunno. If you really want to like…If the kids want to do stuff…all they have to do is like …write a note saying like we’re gonna go to Six Flags, can you give us like 50 or 20 dollars, probably they would give the students money so we could have buses to go to Six Flags and have tickets to go to Six Flags…and have everything…cause we have 80 kids in this program! So yeah… N: Ok. So tell me about your mentors… M: They’re fun. They’re real fun N: All of your mentors? M: Yeah N: Ok, who are your mentors? M: Bobby, Ms. Jessica, and Mr. Yantee N: Ok. So do you learn a lot when you’re with your mentors M: No. We mostly talk N: You mostly talk? M: But keep it on the DL N: What do you talk about? M: We talk about like shows and shoes… N: And that’s all three of your mentors? M: Yeah. Wait…like Mr. Yantee…he will at least TRY to go through the lesson instead of talking all the time…I’ll give him that…He’s not like … N: So if you think of all your teachers and all the mentors you’ve had…what qualities would make the perfect mentor? M: Ms. Jessica N: Ok, what about Ms. Jessica is the perfect mentor M: Ms. Jessica is just like me inside…except she’s much much older than me. N: Is she. Like what qualities? Like male female white black smart intelligent funny M: She’s funny, intelligent, and she’s white, but she’s like a black version of me. ..no…a white version of me. And I’m like a black version of her! N: But what are the qualities? Like what makes you like her? Except for the fact that she’s like you M: Wait. We’re both cheerleaders. \ N: She’s a cheerleader right now? M: Yeah…at her high school…I mean at her college. End Session 1b 13:47 Interview Transcription Part C – 11/30/06 – 7:52pm N: Ok. We were talking about Higher Achievement, and you were telling me about the culture of Higher Achievement. M: Yeah…I don’t know…because I don’t care for it … N: Yeah…you were telling me about the Culture Constitution and how you thought it was fake… M: Yeah! Fake! And Phony!! N: Why is it fake and phony? Oh, you were saying it was just an opportunity…what were you saying about there egos? M: Yeah…that N: What else? M: I don’t remember actually N: No Just tell me your thoughts…you don’t have to just tell me what you said yesterday M: Uh My thoughts is…take care of yourself N: Your thoughts on the Culture Constitution woman! M: Ohhh…right!! That it’s Fake! And PHONY! (enunciating into the mike) N: Yes, but why M: It’s FAKE and PHONY…because…people is just there to waste their money. The parents are wasting their money because the children to me are not learning nothing…well they are…but I think just because they’re hustlers they just want money so they can do whatever they need to do with their hair, shoes, rent, bills, whatever, insurance N: You’re talking about Higher Achievement? M: Yes, basically N: Ok. Tell me about Ms. Aishah and Ms. Andrea M: Ummmm! (angry noise) Where do I start? N: What do they do? What do they do with Higher Achievement? M: I would say…on a scale from 1 to 10…for Ms. Aishah is.. N: 1 being low and 10 being high…good…one being bad and 10 being good? (she nods) Ok. M: Is like a 3.5 or a 4.5. Why? Because…it’s like today is a perfect example…cause I have examples. Like today…Rebecca…she had to really really go the bathroom...she was like...”Can I go to the bathroom? Can I go to the bathroom?” And she kept on begging her mentor. And so her mentor finally said yeah and she ran to the bathroom cause she really really had to go. So Ms. Andrea caught her when she came out the bathroom…no, Ms. Aishah caught her when she came out the bathroom…and Ms. Aishah said “Why you just coming from my bathroom” cause Rebecca was like explaining herself…and she was like, “Well call your parents because you know you not supposed to be coming…you know that you not supposed to be um going to the bathroom during mentoring session. I was like….when I heard that story I was like…that is so dumb! She had to go to the bathroom, so let her go to the bathroom! So Rebecca called her grandfather and picked her up. (3:39) N: Wow. What do you think that…what does that say? M: It says that…she just too strict…I mean…it’s ok to be strict at times…but like if you really really have to go. Please just let em before they piss on themselves or something like that. I’m like…WHAT??? I woulda said just get out my face and don’t ever speak to me again if I do come to this….this disgusting program. I’m just so mad. I’m just so mad. Disgusting program… N: (chuckling) Why is it disgusting? Why do you feel so much anger or frustration about it? Where is that coming from? M: Cause Like the things that they do…it’s like so stupid. Like today, Marcus and Daniel, they got in trouble because they accidentally or they purposely through something at the window or something like that, and then they had to call their parents and they got suspended for a week. What is that? I could see…I could see if they through something at the teacher eyeball or do somethin at the teacher… N: They threw sticky sticky stuff all over the ceiling (she made a face – I chuckled) Yeah. M: The bathroom ceiling? N: No, the classroom ceiling…somebody else’s classroom that we’re NOT supposed to disrupt. So…I don’t know what somebody told you but…that one was a little…a little shaky M: DAAANNNNNG! N: Yeah…and they were just throwing it….what their reason was I don’t know. (Chuckling). Yeah…so people had to climb up on tables and chairs to get it off and it wasn’t coming off and it was just smearing and it was just a big mess. (5:34) M: Ohhh…I hope we don’t have to get out this school, if we do…YES!!! N: Hold on a second…you don’t like Paul? M: I do…it’s just…HAP is gonna have to find another…HAP is gonna have to find another center or another school to go to so HAP can continue…and so while they’re finding it or whatever…we don’t have to go to HAP, and that would be so fun because I get to see Saaaaam! He is SO FINE! N: Yeah, we’re gonna have to talk about that later…Do you think that HAP is a good environment for kids M: Somewhat yeah…somewhat no…do I have to explain it? N: Yeah. Why yes and why no. M: Ohhhh… N: Because I wanna understand why you’re saying it, I wanna understand what you’re thinking about it. M: No because some of the things they do…it’s just so…”Get out my face”…like….it’s not that serious…please N: You mean the rules and stuff? M: Yeah…really…you can’t even go to the bathroom. That’s so stupid and dumb! N: What do you think they could do differently… M: Like…(thinking)…No cause that couldn’t work….They can at least like calm their nerves…think about the rules and the regulations and like try to make it….try to make it like us. N: Like what? M: Like us!! N: Like… M: Like US!! N: What is us? (laughing) M: Like USSSS!! N: Come on girl, what do you mean? M: I mean like more parties…more freak dancing…no let me stop… N: You mean like our community? The black community? M: Exactly! Exactly! You got it! You got it. N: Do you feel like they at least care about the kids here? M: Yeah N: What do you think they expect of you guys...? (8:11) M: More out of us. And like they know that we can…they know that we can do…They know that we can…pull more …like… N: Positive things M: Yeah…and more…like…they know that we’re so much more…like they know that we’re so much more than average or proficient…I don’t know what the top one is… N: No that’s good M: Proficient …and then there’s…what else? It says below basic…basic…proficient…and what? N: I don’t know but I know what you’re talking about… M: Yeah N: With that in mind…that doesn’t make you feel better about the program at all? M: Huh? N: That doesn’t make you feel better…that they know that about you? That they know that you are capable…or have high expectations? You still kind of feel…iffy about them anyway? M: Yeah N: Maybe because of the way they go about it or… M: Yeah…cause sometimes they just…(makes a face) uhhhh …Sometimes they just like uhhh…I can’t even explain it …just uhhh N: Ok, but what about your mentors M: (She starts grinning) My mentors!? My mentor, Ms. Jessica, she is SO COOL! Like, just keeping it on the DL, just between me and you…today we din even do no math…the only thing we did was like three questions…and we had to divide two fractions and multiply one fraction. And we did all that stuff and we was like fightin and all that stuff and we was talking about having sex when you’re young and ugh! Just so gross and whatever, how perverts and molesters or whatever and boyfriends….(10:18) N: Ok, what about the other ones? M: Ummm…Tuesday mentor…Mr. Yantee…he cool and all…like he will talk to us…but at least he will kinda like try to get through like… N: The lesson M: Yeah…he will try to get through the lesson. I’ll say that much about him. He’ll TRY to get through the lesson N: And the last one… M: Umm… I don’t really know my….lalalalalalalala… N: Is that the one you have one Monday? Who’d you have on Monday? What is that? Technology? M: Mr. Jon! Umm Umm Umm! Mr. Jon! Mr. Jon! Mr. Jon! N: What about him? M: Umm…like He cool. He like understand you and he’s just like Mr. Yantee but Better! When we’re on the computer we have a very very short lesson. It’s like 10 or 15 minutes and then we on Google and do whatever. And like yeah …it’s so fun…we like talk while we’re on the computer …we play games when we’re on the computer N: You talk with each other or talk to him? M: We talk to each other and we talk to Mr. Jon. There’s no doubt about it? N: Ok. So what are the qualities that make a good mentor in your opinion M: Fun. Make learning fun. Just fun!(12:05) N: What about the way that they relate to you? How do you like them to be when they talk to you? And when you talk to them? M: Like they don’t have to be proper. Like they can talk slang or whatever. I’m not gonna be like…”I’m so shocked! I’m so appalled” or whatever. No, like calm your nerves down. If you want to talk slang or whaever…it’s fine with me. I don’t care, cause I know I talk some slang. I just know I talk some slang! N: Do you think it makes a difference whether they’re like a woman…male or female or black or white or anything? M: No, cause my sister…my family always says…don’t be like white people were in the olden days because you may never know…that may be a good relationship…that may be a good relationship…that may be a good friendship. They might can be your best relationship…that might can be your best friendship or whatever. Don’t like judge a book by its cover. N: Have you found that it makes any difference in the way they treat you? M: Yes. Cause if you don’t treat me…like if I treat you with respect but you don’t treat me with respect, Imma start treating you with…Imma start treating you like… N: I mean like with the mentors and teachers that you have…Have you experienced that at all M: No N: Ok. That’s good. Do you know what you want to do when you get older? M: Yes!!! (singing) N: This is the last question cause I gotta get you back M: I…want to be a singer! But I’m pretty scared to sing in front of people. N: You have time to work on it M: Thanks! You know how I do. And like…I wanna have…like if I move into a big big house. Imma make sure I have four kids…or at least three. That’s all I need. N: Why? M: Because to me if I had one kid the kid would be like I wish I had brothers and sisters. Now I’m like… N: I kinda feel the same way M: Iim like…I wanna have something for real N: At least they can have someone to keep them company. It also teaches them to share and be responsible for someone else… M: I want like….I want like…You know what? N: Let’s talk and walk… M: And I want like…it’s just…. N: You want what now? Interview ends: (15:25) 28