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Every year Cesar Chavez Public Charter Schools, located in the Washington, DC area, have their annual senior thesis symposium. Starting in the ninth grade, Chavez scholars are introduced to the topic of public policy and up until their senior year they participate in several activities that involve public policy. For example, in the ninth grade scholars participate in a community action project (CAP), which takes place during the last two weeks of school. CAP allows scholars to select a public policy topic and collect information on that topic through various methods. When I was in the ninth grade my class chose obesity/healthy eating as our topic. Obesity is a major disorder that is rapidly spreading to the youth more and more each year. My class took recognition in that and decided that we wanted to educate our community on the disorder. Obesity is the result of unhealthy eating; therefore learning about healthy eating as well would only strengthen our argument.

Scholars complete another community action project in the tenth grade, and then once they enter the eleventh grade they participate in fellowship. This year I participate in fellowship, which is similar to an internship with the only exception being that instead of getting paid we receive academic credit. Chavez has partnered with various non-profit organizations as well as government agencies over the years that have agreed to provide fellowship opportunities for their scholars. My fellowship organization is The Center for Education Reform, whose main focus is improving the education system into a system that can sustain for years to come. Each fellowship has a connection with public policy therefore scholars are constantly learning about issues that impact the country. Following the fellowship is the senior class thesis in which scholars select a public policy topic to write a ten to fifteen page paper on, as well as a PowerPoint presentation that consists of fifteen slides.

The senior thesis symposium included two students from the Capitol Hill campus and one from the Parkside campus. Due to their outstanding thesis presentations, all three of these students received a $2,000 dollar scholarship. The three topics that were presented were Felon Disenfranchisement, Guantanamo Bay, and Urban Education Reform. My personal favorite topic was Urban Education Reform. African-American and Hispanic minorities have always been known for falling into the bottom of the education system due to the high percentage of dropout rates that make up the group. This is an issue that needs quick resolution because this generation makes up the future of America.

All of Chavez public policy classes are a requirement for graduation therefore students must complete the courses. This upcoming school year I will walk the halls as a Chavez senior and hopefully thesis doesn’t turn my hair gray! Overall I look forward to participating in thesis and hopefully my topic is interesting enough to a point where I can participate in the senior thesis symposium.

Imani Jenkins, CER Intern/César Chávez Fellow