Q & A with Kimora Reid. Nottingham class of 2021

Q & A with Kimora Reid. PSLA class of 2021

Raquan Pride-Green | raquanspg@therisemedia.net

Kimora Reid is a 17-year-old high school senior who lives on the east side of Syracuse, NY. She currently attends PSLA (Public Service Leadership Academy) High School; she is a captain on the cheerleading squad and hopes to run track in the spring. Her academic area of focus is Cosmetology with a specialty in hairdressing. She will graduate in June with a Career Technical Education (CTE) certification in cosmetology, which will allow her to start working in the cosmetic industry immediately after graduation. Kimora currently works part time at a fast food restaurant. She has a sister and a brother who graduated from SCSD high schools and both of her parents graduated from SCSD high schools as well.

Q. What's it like being a senior during a pandemic?

A. During this pandemic as a senior, it is very hard, draining, and demotivating. I’ve been coping with it because there is nothing else that I can do. I just do the work but I am not motivated so I just have to push through.

Q. What do u miss most about school prior to COVID-19?

A. I miss sports and senior activities; I was looking forward to senior night and prom my whole life.

Q. What are you happy to see removed from your day-to-day schedule due to COVID-19?

A. I am glad I don’t have to wake up at 6am anymore. My first class starts at 9am, the school days are shorter and I don’t have to sit in a classroom all day anymore. I can even go to sleep early when I get done with all of my work.

Q. What’s next after graduation? (What colleges have you applied to and why?)

A. I want to go to college to study Business; I will be a business owner one day. I am currently applying to colleges but I am not motivated right now because school is so draining and so much work that I don’t have the time and energy to apply to colleges. All that I have left to do is finish my essay; On Point For College has been helping me during this process. My first choice is Morgan State University because it is an HBCU, they have a competitive cheerleading program, and I love to cheer. I want to go to Morgan State because I love my culture and I want to be around my culture while in college because I know that I would feel comfortable there. There is a lot going on in the world and I don’t think I would feel comfortable at a school that barely have any Black students. I want to get to know more people who look like me that are from other places.

Q. If you could get a do-over for your senior year under ideal circumstances would you take it? Why or why not?

A. Yes I would take it because your senior year is the most important year, it’s the year that you are supposed to do whatever you want and experience whatever you want because it is your last year of high school and there is no turning back afterwards.

Q. Has COVID-19 changed your views on life, if so, how?

A. Yes, it showed me that anything could happen within 24 hours so I am grateful for everything that I have and I try my hardest to be positive and not focus on the negative things.

Q.What is the biggest lesson you learned this year?

A. I learned to never give up through the hard times and keep trying.

Q. What did you learn about yourself this year?

A. I learned that I lose motivation quickly and sometimes give up easily but I realize that now I have to keep trying no matter what. It’s best to always be positive and not dwell on the negative things, and to always pray and to look to God for everything.

Q. Who/What are you most thankful for?

A. I am thankful for myself. I have been there for myself all of the time, I have positive self-talks because I know that everything starts and stops with me if I am going to be successful. I am thankful for my persistence because even when I am not feeling motivated I find a way. I am thankful for my family and friends, they support me but I have to do most things on my own. I have to admit that my dad spoils me, he is hard on me too sometimes but he knows I am a good child and I don’t get into trouble.

Q. How do you think the prom and graduation should be structured?

A. There’s been talks of having our prom virtually and I can’t do that. I have to be in person, I feel like we should have prom in person even if we have to maintain 6ft distance or whatever the case might be. As for graduation, we can have it on our new field now that we finally have a field. I really want to have our graduation on the field because we just got it. I was really looking forward to cheering on that new field during football season.

Q. What will you remember most about your senior year?

A. I will remember how hard I worked and that even though it can be hard, just keep pushing.

Final Statement.

I feel like my senior year is whack, even though there isn’t much we can do in person, there are still some things that we can do but we have to push more. I feel like more seniors need to speak up instead of sitting back not saying or doing anything. We just don’t have any motivation, everyone is doing the work just to pass because school is not fun anymore.