"My pride, my integrity, and most importantly, my education."

Helen Rowe and Joandaly Chavez at City Council on 5/25
(photo by Andrew Christman)

Good afternoon, my name is Joandaly Chavez. I want to thank the councilmen for giving me an opportunity to speak my mind on the proposal to close the thirteen alternative schools in the school district of Philadelphia.

 First, I want to start off saying that everyday I fight for my future, whether its in school or outside of school. To me, El Centro De Estudiantes is my high school, my pride, my integrity, and most importantly, my education. When I first applied to El Centro, I was a troubled teen, as many are here In Philadelphia. A year previously, I was in a public high school with a background of fights, suspensions, student riots, teacher neglect, and worst of all bullying from students and teachers. I felt alone, I was failing the most important school years of my life. I was also involved in a lot of the violence that surrounded my school and neighborhood. The teachers from the school district of Philadelphia who taught at the public high school assured my parents and me they would keep me focused, give me an excellent education, and would never let me down. Yet, in reality, I was neglected and viewed as just another young woman who would eventually dropout. Due to those conditions, I did dropout. Coming into El Centro gave me hope. There’s no comparison to the teachers at El Centro, because they have a higher level of understanding; They’re way more than just teachers to me and my peers, they’re like an astonishing older brother or sister. When I have the smallest doubt in my mind about actually being a somebody and graduating, not only do my advisors lift my head up high, but so do my peers; We’re all united as one, one family, no one is above anyone. I take school more seriously than anything now, I am no longer getting into fights and my grades are even better.

 I just want to end my testimony with this question up in the air for you to answer, councilmen. What’s going to happen to all the students that had no assurance, dedication, and commitment before Big Picture came into their lives? I believe that if all thirteen accelerated schools were to shut down, ill go back to my old ways. This is not because I want to or because I am a follower, but because no one but the students and teachers understand what El Centro De Estudiantes and the twelve other accelerated schools mean to our education and future. Big Picture Philadelphia is the name I want printed on my transcript when I graduate. I was one of Philadelphia’s troubled teens, who is now truly honored to stand strong and believe that I am going to be successful with the help of Big Picture Philadelphia schools. This is why I strongly ask that you let us keep our schools, our educations, our futures, our homes … our hope!  Thank you for time.