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Learn more about Katie's story and find out what our students are doing. |
Straight from the Students
Gabrielle Wyatt
Aspiring to Inspire
Being a Sondheim Scholar is just beginning to
define who I am. The program has enabled me to further explore an issue I care
deeply about — education.
I want to find out why other students in public schools are underperforming, to find out what motivates students and what holds them back when it comes to academics and planning for college. My research thus far has been featured locally and nationally in various publications including The Christian Science Monitor and American School Board Journal. I will continue my research in Baltimore County as an intern for the Office of Equity and Assurance.
Right now, I am working on a service-learning project at the College Gardens Teen Program, an after-school tutoring program for at-risk youth. Initially, I thought that "homework hour" was my time to teach, but I quickly realized that the students I teach aren't the only ones learning.
The strong community ties at College Gardens taught me that personal growth is not an individual experience, rather a collective experience. I have learned more about the issues surrounding urban education there than in any lecture hall, and I wouldn’t have had this opportunity had I chosen another school.
I could have chosen to attend a private, Ivy-League or out-of-state university, but I did not. I am a product of Baltimore County public schools. I have taken advantage of every resource and every opportunity offered to me because my teachers constantly inspired me.
I have achieved in the basic subjects and excelled in accelerated courses, but nothing can overshadow my reasoning for doing so; I want to be that person who changes the world. And the bottom line is? It’s here where I know I can achieve just that.
Gabrielle is majoring in political science with a focus on educational policy. She hopes to complete a secondary education certification in social studies. She wants to teach high school, pursue a master's degree in school administration and supervision and a doctorate in education.
