2.
Advisory Committees
The Student Government Association at Carlos Rosario was created to ensure student participation, and,
as an advisory committee, it contributes substantially to the governance and leadership of the school.
During the 2006-2007 school year, each class elected one representative whose responsibilities included:
Serving as liaison among the student body, faculty, and administration
• Supporting, organizing, and participating in school-related and community activities
• Collecting information from fellow students about issues and concerns and to bring them to the
administration’s attention
• Participating in all Student Government meetings
Under the guidance of Supportive Services Department staff Stephanie Mintz and Carla Pendino,
this group of student leaders stood out as a visible and active force in the school. Representatives
consistently volunteered to help with school-wide and community events and proved to be dynamic
motivators within their own classrooms.
Leadership Program
This year, Student Government had a strong leadership program. The eight fall semester participants
and seven spring semester participants demonstrated their commitment to the program and to developing their leadership skills. Their responsibilities included participating in a planning retreat each semester; attending two extra meetings per month; designing and planning a school-wide event; attending
outside programs and conferences and helping to facilitate the regular student government meetings.
Highlights of this year’s leadership program included the planning and organizing of the “Learn About
DC” Information Fair; the testimony of a leadership student, Maria Rexach, at an important hearing
about DC Public Charter Schools; and the participation of two leadership students, Maria Rexach and
Alex Mejia, as well as one other Student Government representative, Sonia Islam, in the Commission
on Adult Basic Education (COABE) conference in St. Louis, Missouri. At the end of the school year,
the group collected suggestions for school improvement from the student body and presented the
information to the school principal, Allison Kokkoros.
Community Service
Student Government pilot tested a community service hours project. Through this project, many
students volunteered five to 10 hours per semester at one of the following eight diverse partner
organizations: Friends of the National Zoo, Food & Friends, CentroNia, Citiwide Computer Training
Center, Green Door, La Clinica del Pueblo, Friendship Terrace Retirement Community and Carlos
Rosario. In addition to volunteering independently, representatives also earned hours through three
group community service activities. This year, 11 students helped direct foot traffic at the Mayor’s
Latino Youth Summit on February 29th; 15 students visited with older residents at Friendship Terrace
Retirement Community on March 19th; and students prepared food for homebound clients at Food &
Friends on December 12th (5 students) and May 23rd (8 students).
Student Government organized several successful events this school year that benefited many people
in need. During the fall semester, representatives recruited classmates and teachers for an on-site
mini-walk to support L’Arche Greater Washington, a local housing program for people with mental
disabilities. They registered 266 walkers and helped raise $15,000 for L’Arche! Also during the fall
Carlos Rosario International Public Charter School, Annual Report SY 2007-2008