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Thank you Mr. Chairman and thank you and congratulations on your first hearing as a sub-committee chair.
thank you all for your testimony, I've been able to watch some of it on TV and I was in
for part of the remainder. Mr. Ellassie, you’re a senior?
Yes I am. Where are you going to college?
Well, I'm waiting for decision letters to be mailed back.
Where did you apply to? I applied to University of Central Florida,
University of South Florida, University of Miami, Florida Atlantic University, Florida
Institute of Technology allot of Florida schools. Was it because of Snowmageddon? Was it because
of all the snow we had last year? Somewhat I just love the environment.
Well that's great so how many colleges did you apply to?
It seems about six or seven, Bethune Cookman is another one I am applying to.
Ok, ok. Ms. Alvarez. yes
where do you want to go to college? I know It's a little early but I bet you know, a
couple places, where? I know Mt. Saint Mary's and like he said FIU,
Florida International, that's a nice school. Excellent, excellent ok, so Mr. Ellassie,
so the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship, what has it meant to you? just sum it up for us.
Life changing experience. I wouldn't be the person I that I am right here before you all
If it wasn't for the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program.
So life changing? Yes.
I changes me as an individually as person. Why? Why? Why did it change you? It's just
money, how does this actually affect your life?
It's the as I stated in my testimony, It's not just what this program does academically
but it's how it impacts an individual through education, and that's what it has done for
me. Ok, Ms. Alvarez you mentioned that you had
parental involvement that actually made this happen.
Yes. Are there other folks in your family that
have been involved in your life, that have encouraged you?
Yes, all of my family: my grandparents, my uncles, my aunts, all of my family have always
been encouraging me to go for my future and make the best out of it.
Mr. Ellassie is that your same experience? Are there others in your family encouraging
you?
Yes, yes, others in my family certainly encourage me.
Ok, ok, well it’s, it's interesting because. So Mr. Ellassie you, when you came in to sixth
grade you said you had to repeat sixth grade? yes, I had to because the public school system
basically failed me, I wasn't successful in the public school system.
Are you now prepared to go to college? Yes I am.
Alright, Ms. Alvarez. Yes.
How long have you been, how long have you been receiving the D.C. Scholarship?
Since 2004. Since 2004. Was that first year really tough?
No, it wasn't. I think your bragging to. Well, you know,
not just having your parents involved makes such a huge difference. Ms. Alvarez you mentioned
that Sacred Heart schools are the only bilingual Catholic schools in the D.C. area?
Correct. How important is it for you to have that choice
of having a bilingual school? It's important because at the same time I
don't lose my background of Spanish from where I come from, but yet I get the language of
English, so it's, I still have both languages in my life.
So, i also asked Mr. Ellassie this, but Ms. Alvarez are you prepared, I asked if he was
prepared to go to college, are you prepared to go to High School.
Yes, certainly. And where are you going to go?
I got two acceptance letters, one from St John's and one from Carroll but I'm choosing
Carroll. You think that's a good choice Mr. Ellassie?
Thank you for your testimony, I know it's tough to sit before this committee and have
folks lecture you or ask you questions or both, but thank you so much for being an advocate
for opportunity. Thank you.