Although she is still two years away from high school, Rhianna has her eyes set on the future.
In 6th grade, her homeroom teacher explained the importance of preparing early for high school. “She knew I was a good student,” says Rhianna, “and she told us that 6th grade would be a practice year for high school.” Lakeland Elementary/Middle School’s principal, Najib Jammal, asserted the same, saying that high schools look closely at results from the 7th-grade year.
Equipped with this knowledge, Rhianna began to dive into the research. “I started learning a lot about high schools on my own, and talked about them with Ms. Tammy and my mentors at Higher Achievement,” says Rhianna. In fact, Rhianna did so much independent research that at a recent Higher Achievement high school fair, she was already familiar with most of the schools.
Rhianna is most excited about the prospect of going to Baltimore City College. “I grew up playing soccer as a midfield, and love watching and playing,” she says. “At City, they have soccer and volleyball, and clubs like chess and arts and design. I would be crying if I got accepted there!”
Higher Achievement has helped Rhianna stay focused on her goals for the future. She joined the program at the encouragement of her siblings, both of whom are Higher Achievement alumni. “Higher Achievement is a program that helps you with your homework and helps you to learn more,” says Rihanna.
Rhianna’s dedication and hard work are paying off and she is proud to have recently been the recipient of the principal’s award for straight As.