INDIVIDUAL BUDGET TESTIMONIES: Kevyn Park Alum Jennifer Velazquez, August 18 at Schurz... 'Why are you setting up the students of Kelvyn Park up for failure?...'
Former Kelvyn Park High School student Jennifer Velazquez received applause when she told the Board to stop sabotaging her alma mater, and that she was studying education in college because she wants to go back and teach at the school. Substance photo by George N. Schmidt.My name is Jennifer Velazquez, I graduated from Kelvyn Park in 2012. I now attend Northeastern Illinois University, majoring in secondary education and currently the Community Representative for Kelvyn Park High School�s Local School Council.
I have dreams of teaching at Kelvyn Park because I and everyone in this audience understand the important role a neighborhood school plays in the community. But how does a school function properly when little by little all their resources are being cut. This is not the first time I�ve talked about Kelvyn Park, wanting it to be a healthy neighborhood school.
No one on the panel before me listening to my plea would send their child to Kelvyn Park. Your kids need a college and career counselors, the school you send your kids too must have a social worker and stable teachers who don�t fear to lose their job.
Why are you setting up the students of Kelvyn Park up for failure? We know CPS has the resources needed to properly fund Kelvyn Park, we�ve seen it in the 2.4 million dollars given to each of the following schools: Aspira, David Speer Academy, and Intrinsic.
Why did they receive an increase? We are trying, these students are trying and all you�re doing is stripping fundamental components that keep students in schools. Tutoring programs, sports transportation, the teachers that keep students in school. Kelvyn Park is hanging by a thread and cannot take this instability. You can�t fire teachers and expect students to learn. What is the real message you are telling our students?
I am here to ask you to create a new commitment to Kelvyn Park. Kelvyn Park needs funding our students should not get the small end of the stick because of poor decisions made by the mayor and CPS. Kelvyn Park is a neighborhood school, that has served many generations of community members. Fund us properly let us keep our teachers and staff. Our students need a fair opportunity to have a genuine, enriched education. Don�t call us underperforming, when we are under resourced.
