American Indian Public Charter School

by Paris Roberts, eighth grade

Hi, my name is Paris Roberts and I am 14 years old in the eighth grade. I have attended American Indian Public Charter School for two years. The reason why I decided to come here was because my auntie, Lanita, told my mom about it. I was encouraged by the principal that this school was worth going to, and I would enjoy learning here. My mom agreed because the environment was safe and the rewards are great.

At Carter Middle School I wasn't doing very well. At AIPCS my knowledge has grown. My GPA has been 3.84 and higher. I haven't had a single fistfight, and no one else at my school has either. The students are nice. We take learning seriously here; fighting just isn't a problem.

The students are respectful, and the staff are willing to help you out at any time. Sometimes there are disagreements. The staff always have it under control; they never let things go too far. As my principal would say, "We treat everyone like family." We show others respect, and they show us respect.

The best thing about this school is that my classmates are not messy. My teacher is willing to help those who need help after school, and she is nice. We also get rewarded with money if we come to school every day. We receive other rewards that most children at other schools don't get. I like the fact that my school can do things different than most schools.

I feel better going here than Carter because I think with the knowledge Ms. Kamat has taught me, I'm prepared for high school and college. I took algebra this year. I have a head start in high school. Most ninth graders are now taking algebra 1, while I'm taking it in the eighth grade.

My experiences here have been fun. I have joined after-school programs like tribal dance, double dutch, and tutoring programs. So, American Indian Public Charter School is a "school at work." American Indian Public Charter School is my school.

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By Nate Robles, eighth grade

My name is Nate Robles, I am 14 years old in the eighth grade. I have been attending American Indian Public Charter School for two years. I came to AIPCS because I wanted a school that could challenge and help prepare me for future things such as college. As soon as I started reading the registration packet, I was immediately satisfied and started to feel the regret of ever attending my previous school. My last school couldn't provide a challenging atmosphere for me, so they just put me up one grade. I know that this was a big mistake. My test scores and grades have improved so much at AIPCS.

The environment at American Indian Public Charter School is perfect for learning, and nobody wants to do otherwise. All of the teachers are supportive of their students and want them to do well. At AIPCS we are a family, and this helps to ensure that everybody's working together for the same goal.

I'm now attending a program each summer at Johns Hopkins University. It is a great experience for me. I'm so thankful to my principal, Dr. Chavis, who believed in me and made it possible. I'm not sure what I would be doing now if it wasn't for the teachers and staff at American Indian Public Charter School.

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By Lyzanna Chairez, eighth grade

Hi, my name is Lyzanna Chairez. I am 13 years old and attend American Indian Public Charter School. I have been at this school for two years. The reason I came to this school is because my parents saw that I wasn't doing my best at my Calvin Simmons Middle School. My grade point average was not good. My parents believed in me and knew I could do better. I got an application for AIPCS, read it, and actually liked the idea of attending "a school at work." The idea of attending "a school at work" seemed like a challenge, a challenge where I would be able to show what I was made of and reach my academic potential.

My experiences have been great. I have learned so much. I have a great teacher and friendly classmates. I get along with everyone. What I really like about this school is that it emphasizes the idea of students being rewarded for their hard work. For instance, whoever has perfect attendance for the whole year receives $100 during the graduation ceremony. AIPCS is really preparing me to finish high school. I have improved a lot over these past two years at AIPCS. I am more involved in after-school programs, which have been a lot of help. I love this school. I am anxiously looking forward to coming to American Indian Public Charter School next year for the ninth grade.