THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2022 Page 5 CELEBRATING SCHOLASTIC EXCELLENCE Left to right, Jean-Martin Kembo, daughter and Saugus High School graduate Crystal Fosung Kembo, daughter and Saugus High Junior Maeva Atsamo Kembo and Jean-Martin’s wife, Linda Kembo. (Saugus Advocate photo by Mark E. Vogler) U.S. my parents fi rst settled in the city of Malden. A few years later, they decided that they wanted to own a home. This pursuit led them to Saugus, where they had no personal connections. Despite this, my parents took a liking to the peaceful nature of the town and have found comfort in it since then. Q: Has the town been welcoming to you and your family? How has it been growing up in Saugus? A: Having grown up in a less diverse Saugus than we have today, I rarely saw my own experience as a woman of color be represented. Still, I found ways to be a part of the community at large. It’s through the Saugus fine arts department that I learned to be bold and expressive. It’s through Saugus athletics that I learned to be more collaborative as a team player. It’s through my peers that I learned the value of advocating for myself and my beliefs. Even with the obstacles I’ve faced growing up in Saugus, I will always cherish those lessons that have made me who I am. Q: You are a product of the Saugus Public Schools and have clearly achieved academic excellence by finishing as a top 10 student and getting accepted into an Ivy League School. How would you rate the education system of Saugus? What were the best parts? What are the defi ciencies and what were the challenges? What were the obstacles you had to overcome to succeed? How many hours a day did you devote to your homework and studies? What is your favorite subject? How many books do you read a year? And how many languages do you speak? A: I believe the education system of Saugus is what you make of it. I’ve had some really amazing teachers and have formed genuine connections with them over time. In my more rigorous Honors and AP courses, there were many times when I felt challenged for the better. A fl aw that comes to mind would be the lack of attention towards unmotivated students. As the saying goes, you’re only as strong as your weakest link. Unlike other schools who may push for a collective sense of academic excellence, students at Saugus schools are more scattered when it comes to their education. There are many students like myself who greatly value scholastic activities, but there are just as many students — if not more — who don’t care. Students in honors and advanced courses are at times prioritized over those in base level courses. This often lowers the morale of unmotivated students. If the school ignited a sense of passion and curiosity among all students, the collective education system of Saugus would be strengthened. In order to succeed, I had to learn how to overcome feelings of doubt due to the lack of opportunities at my school. Whereas, other schools had more access to numerous AP classes and internship opportunities, Saugus High didn’t have as many resources. I had to stop comparing my education to that of others, and make the best of the resources I had. My time devoted to homework and studies varied depending on the diffi culty of the class. Still, I always tried to make time for myself and my loved ones. My favorite subject has always been English. Every year, my classes would read many novels, poems, and short stories. In my AP Literature course, we read about seven novels with some of my favorites being “Beloved” by Toni Morrison, “Night” by Elie Wiesel, and “Born a Crime” by Trevor Noah. As of now I am only fl uent in English, but I plan on learning many more languages during my time at Brown. Q: Looking back on your education, who was your favorite teacher? And what made that teacher special? A: Among the many amazing teachers that I’ve encountered thus far in my education, I’m especially proud to have had the pleasure of being taught by Mrs. McVoy. I was lucky enough to be in her Honors Latin courses from freshman year to senior year, and in that time she fostered a strong sense of community amongst all her students. We were pushed to not only master the rigorous material, but also to form meaningful connections between the ancient language of the Romans and our modern world. From the minute I stepped into her classroom, I knew I would be welcomed, represented, and heard. Whether it was through altering lesson plans in the best interest of her students or taking initiative to fi nd inclusive Latin novellas for us to translate, Mrs. McVoy was so evidently passionate about her students’ overall growth and wellbeing. Her ability to bring out the best in her students helped many, including myself, to become more open-minded as young adults preparing for life beyond high school. Q: Do you feel that Saugus Public Schools provides a welcoming and nurturing learning environment for students of all cultural and ethnic backgrounds? Has the School Department done enough to ensure that students of all races and creeds have an equal opportunity? If not, feel free to share your concerns. A: When I was growing up, Saugus Public Schools were nowhere as diverse as they are now. I remember being the only person of color in many of my classes up until around 8th grade. Now as I depart, I’m thrilled to see that Saugus is slowly but surely becoming more diverse. Still, this is a predominantly white town which makes it very easy for THE ADVOCATE ASKS | SEE PAGE 6
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