Can you talk a little bit about your experience at Friendship?
 
I’ve been at Friendship since kindergarten, so that’s thirteen years. It's been a long time. I like the culture we cultivate; it’s very family-oriented. Our siblings and cousins go to Southeast. We’re offered so many opportunities here. One of the things that I love about Friendship is how the staff and students support each other. I have done several things outside of Friendship such as preaching my first sermon and it was great to have the Tech Prep family there to support me. I love that we have two exceptional schools in Southeast D.C. We show that great things come from Southeast D.C.! Having so many black teachers is another great advantage.

I am a part of the Friendship News Network (FNN). I have participated in FNN for 10 years and I love it. I’ve been the Editor-in-Chief for eight years. I’ve been able to develop as a better writer and overall journalist. FNN is the first place where I’ve really been a leader, and I truly appreciate it. Through FNN, I’ve gone on several different trips – to New York City, New Haven, CT, and one of the most important, Flint, Michigan to learn about the Flint Water Crisis and deliver water to the International Academy of Flint. FNN has been an important factor in my development as a well-rounded scholar because I’ve been able to learn the true meaning of journalism and leadership combined. Also, working with Ms. Kaufman, the Director of FNN, has been a great pleasure. She really cares about applying journalism to the 21st century and creating new ways for us to do it. Lastly, FNN has become my first real job – I am now the Intern Assistant to the Director and have been for over a year now. I’ve been able to apply a lot of my hidden talents while working with the other staff and students of FNN.
I am really big on student voice. I advocate for what we need in our community and try to get our message out beyond Southeast D.C. to Capitol Hill and to everyone else who needs to know that we’re here and want something better.
 
We organized a student walkout against gun violence after the Parkland Shooting. The fact that it was organized and executed by students was a powerful way to make our voice heard. And, of course, our teachers and staff members supported us.
 
I’m also involved with Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA). I have been participating in that since we started it at Tech Prep in 2018. We have participated in multiple competitions so far, one being the D.C. LifeSmarts Competition, where we learned more about consumer rights, political science, technology, cyber-bullying and different things like that. Some of my classmates focused on public speaking, graphic design, computer science and more. Then we advanced from our local competitions to go to San Antonio to compete in the national FBLA competition. At first, I wasn’t necessarily trying to get into business, but it definitely opened my eyes to the opportunities available. I thought, “Hey maybe I’ll want to own my own business one day. Maybe I want to be the head of human resources.”
What was your Accenture internship like?
 
Interning with Accenture was a great experience. Even though it was virtual, it was better than I’d expected. I never thought I would receive an opportunity like this. I was able to meet many people, interact with different students from all over the country, and participate in workshops that will be helpful for the rest of my life. During the internship, I worked with five other students to create an idea to help with the issue of volunteering and community service amongst high schoolers, and we were able to develop a prototype of an application. I was also able to apply my leadership abilities by being the group leader and meeting with the Managing Directors of the Accenture Metro D.C. Office, which was its own powerful experience. Once I finished, I received feedback like “he’s great” and “we need to hire him when he graduates from college.” 
 
What are your hopes for the fall?
 
I still expect to have a great school year. Attending Friendship Tech Prep, we are already prepared to apply 21st-century skills to our everyday learning, so learning virtually isn’t unknown to us. Even though this is still new for all staff, students, and parents, we know it isn’t impossible. I still hope to enjoy my senior year, because I’ve worked very hard to make it to this point. Of course, things will be different for the entire school year, because we don’t necessarily know what things will look like in the coming months. But we will continue to manage and persevere through all of it.
Friendship Public
Charter School
 1400 1st Street NW,
Washington, D.C. 20001
202-281-1700