Madison

This is your first year at CJA. What do you think so far?

I think that it’s a really good school, and I want to stay here forever because it’s really nice. I love the teachers. They are really nice, too, and I love the way they teach. 

What’s it like being a fourth grader?

I like being a fourth grader. You have to work really hard. You have to do what’s right. You have to figure out the problems, do them on your own, and keep on working on them until you get it right.

What’s your favorite thing about CJA?

My favorite thing about CJA is Math. I go to fifth-grade Math class, and we’re working on decimals. I’m still getting frustrated because I’m not getting it all yet, but I like learning it. 

That’s okay to not get it yet. You’re in advanced Math – that’s really impressive! What are you learning about in Social Studies?

Different parts of the United States. Right now, we’re learning about the Northeast. 

I was told by Ms. Dowd and Ms. Rooney that you love to dance. Is that true?

Yes. I love it. I do it here [for co-curriculars]. I love to flip and dance a lot. I can do a front flip, backbends, cartwheels into the splits and round off to the splits.

What is it like to cheer with and dance with your friends here? 

It’s lovely. We all work together as a team. You have to work hard, work together and have friendship and happiness.

What’s it like being one of the first girls at CJA?

This is my first year here, and I was nervous. I didn’t know how the school was going to be, and I didn’t know if I was going to have any friends. During summer school, I met a friend. Her name Is A’Miyah. She was the first friend I made. I said, “Hi!” and she said, “Hi, my name is A’Miyah!” We played for a few minutes, and then she said, “Do you want to be best friends?” and I said, “Sure!”

What is your favorite thing you get to do in the new building?

My favorite thing is to go to the multipurpose room and the art room. I also love my classroom. We have games and lots of stuff to learn. 

What is your favorite grad-at-grad value? 

My favorite grad-at-grad value is loving because I love to be loving. I like to help my friends out in the hall. I say things like, “Are you okay?” and check in on them almost every minute.

What’s your favorite book?

Mulan the book. It’s a movie, but it’s also a chapter book. You need to read it – it’s really good. I like the bravery she has. Being brave means sticking to that thing. You can be so scared, but you have to be confident in yourself. You do what you have to do. 

How are you brave while at CJA?

When we have a test, we build confidence with each other before the test. We write ourselves a note, or say, “You got this!” to each other. We also write down notes for the class on a whiteboard. We write things cheering on our classmates.

What are you thankful for? 

I’m thankful for this school because there’s a lot of friendship and hard-working people.