Annual Report 2007-08 | Page 33

semester, the evening representatives delivered holiday baskets full of donations by Carlos Rosario students to three different local groups: HogaresLatino Transitional Housing Partnership, Friendship Terrace Retirement Community and The Toy Closet at Children’s National Medical Center. Finally, representatives initiated and organized a school-wide clothing drive to help those displaced by the fire in a Mt. Pleasant apartment building. Students delivered the donations and volunteered at Neighbor’s Consejo, sorting through clothing and other items. School-wide Events During the spring semester, Student Government, under the direction of the leadership program members, organized the “Learn About DC” Information Fair, which was held on the lower level during all break times. In preparation for the event, representatives created promotional flyers and posters, prepared refreshments, collected music to play in the cafeteria, designed an organization contact sheet, created table signs and set up the space. During the event itself, representatives greeted visitors and students; distributed a game to reward those who visited all information tables, answered questions, served food and distributed materials. In all, 16 community and government agencies participated in this successful activity. In addition, Student Government continued to play an active role serving food during the school’s cultural celebrations: Hispanic Heritage Month, Black History Month and Asian Spring Festival. Civic Participation & Advocacy Student Government representatives had opportunities to advocate for positive change on a local and national level. During the fall semester, nine daytime representatives met with Ted Loza, Chief of Staff for DC Councilmember Jim Graham’s office, and other staff and council members while visiting the Wilson Building to learn about DC government. The evening representatives visited the Latino Liaison Unit of the Metropolitan Police Department in preparation for a school-wide presentation on public safety. During the spring semester, staff from Mosaica, a local non-profit capacity-building organization, facilitated three on-site trainings; one for the leadership program and one for each Student Government group (daytime and evening). Students identified community concerns and practiced ways to address those concerns an