"Residential segregation. The Syrian refugee crisis. College access for illegal immigrants. There are not just policy challenges hotly debated among national leaders in Washington, D.C. -- at Cesar Chavez Public Charter Schools, they are thesis projects that senior high school students present to educational leaders, including Obama administration staff." - Emily Leayman, Watchdog.org
From Left to Right: Senior Alexys Hewlett, Chavez CEO Joan Massey, Senior Nicolas Villaroel, and Senior Brenda Guevera-Ortiz
DCC was proud to attend Chavez’s 5th Annual Public Policy Symposium at Georgetown University recently. A day that Chavez CEO Joan Massey has declared her “favorite day of the year,” Symposium gives three top seniors at Chavez Schools the opportunity to present their public policy theses to an audience of education and community leaders. The thesis presentations were thoughtful, well-researched, and very impressive. There is no doubt that these students have bright futures ahead!
This year, we were thrilled to see Symposium receive well-deserved media attention. Check out the stories below!
“Chavez seniors not only research specific policies, they pinpoint weaknesses and propose alternatives. ‘I’ve never done anything like that,’ said Hewlett, who presented on how residential segregation hurts minorities. ‘I know my friends at other high schools don’t get to do stuff like that.’” –“D.C. charter school seniors join national policy conversation,” by Emily Leayman, Watchdog.org
“These were not superficial conversations about current day controversies. They were three sophisticated in-depth investigations of serious world problems whose solutions have major consequences. So much progress has been made at Chavez PCS over last two decades. It was enough to make you cry.” –“The Chavez PCS 5th Annual Public Policy Symposium,” by Mark Lerner for his blog, “Parents Have School Choice Kids Win”
“‘We hear our students say how they were so nervous about their thesis, but now that it's over it is one of the best things they've ever done,’ [CEO Joan] Massey said. ‘It not only prepares them for college, but life after. They walk away knowing they are ready for the next level,’ she said.” –“Chavez PCS Holds Public Policy Symposium” by Sarafina Wright, The Washington Informer
Congratulations to Chavez on another successful year of Symposium presentations. We already can’t wait for next year!