Meet Our Star Scholar: Kennadie M!

Kennadie is a 7th grader at East Harlem Scholars Academy Middle School II, located in the historic Jackie Robinson Educational Complex. Why is Kennadie this month’s star scholar? She’s not afraid of a challenge, and represents our Core Values -- especially Courage, Originality and Achievement!

Q: What is your favorite thing about coming to school?

A: My favorite part is the work, because the work is challenging. ...All of the kids are participating. They’re really engaged in the lessons and they’re showing what they know.

Q: Any ideas of what you want to be when you grow up?

A: I want to be a teacher. I want to help out kids like my teachers do, and I want to see kids succeed like I want to succeed. I’m really bad at math, but I want to learn so I can teach other kids.

Q: What do you like to do outside of school?

A: I like to do sports. I like to play football, because it’s challenging. I like to go for things that are challenging ... so when I get older I know how face tough situations.

Q: And what’s challenging about football?

A: I feel like I get judged a lot by playing football. Like if I’m on the train I see people staring because [I’m a girl and] I have a football in my hand. But I think that it’s good for me because it toughens me up and helps me have the right mindset for the future.

Q: What else do you like to do in your spare time?

A: I like to hang out with my friends, we go out to Popeye’s and McDonalds. We see other kids from Scholars I and Scholars II, we go together. I also like dancing, and I like to draw and do art.

Q: You recently joined our student recruitment campaign. Why do you think other kids should come here?

A: The teachers actually care about your education and want you to succeed. They put in the time and the effort. ... it’s way different than other schools that I’ve been to. This is not only preparing me for high school and college, it’s preparing me for the real world too.