Most of my friends at college will attest to the fact that I always talk about New Rochelle and how proud I am that I live in an amazing community. I went to Ward, then ALMS, and then NRHS. Growing up I played basketball at all levels in the community from Ward all the way to the varsity team at the high school. I remember being on the ALMS team in 7th grade and the team was predominantly white. I made the JV team at the high school in 8th grade and I went from a team of all white kids to a team that was diverse. It helped me realize the true cultural melting pot that we have here in New Rochelle. However, like many others I was blind to the problems occurring outside of my sport. It never really dawned on me that so many people of color in our school did not feel welcome at all in the classroom. I admit that I was a bit blind to the environment that I really thought was great for everyone. I never truly understood what many of my peers faced during their time in school until I truly asked. I was lucky enough to have had amazing teachers and counselors, who looked out for me through every year of school. I now realize that those feelings that I had are not shared by many of my peers. It’s disheartening to read all these stories of so many students just looking for a chance at the best education and not receiving it. 

 

We also boast about the many clubs we have offered in our high school. Unlike the majority of our athletic teams, I believe that most of our clubs do not represent our demographics. Many of the big clubs in our school that get the most recognition from administrators are mainly made up of white students. Many clubs' executive boards are based off of popularity and not if they are actually qualified to hold that position. I was a member of the school’s SADD club for four years and was president my senior year. I never really realized how “exclusive” this club and many other clubs were until having conversations with former classmates. I would always try to get my friends to come get involved because the message of the club was personal for me. They usually told me no they couldn’t make it and I now realize they weren’t saying no to the message we were trying to get out, but they were saying no to the exclusivity and hypocrisy of people in these clubs.

 

My mom and my older brother both graduated from NRHS. I hope one day to be able to watch my kids do the same thing. I am truly grateful for the education I received and the people I got to meet from kindergarten to senior year. However, I can’t sit in silence and watch people that I have grown to know and appreciate get failed by the people who are supposed to help them succeed. I can’t allow for my future children to grow up in a system that doesn’t benefit everyone. I truly believe in the mantra of “New Ro Strong”. This whole demand to action by former and current students really shows how STRONG this community is and WHY we need change. We cannot continue to boast about diversity and the accomplishments without every child getting the same chances the moment they step foot into kindergarten. 

 

Nicole Ziogas

NRHS Class of 2017