High School senior Jasmine Williams just knew that first lady Michelle Obama would come to deliver the commencement address to graduates of Washington Math Science Technology Public Charter High School — even before she delivered the request to the White House. “I’ve always been optimistic person; I guess maybe a little too optimistic at times. But I just, for some reason, knew she was coming when I sent the letter,” said the shy but determined Williams, who will intern at the White House later this month before going on to study political science at North Carolina A&T.
When the born and bred Northwest Washingtonian got the answer that the first lady would actually speak before the WMST graduates at Howard University, fireworks erupted in Williams’ home. “I found out on the news, watching it in my grandmother’s room. And I said, ‘no way they meant my school!’ So I ran down[stairs] and I got on the computer and I saw Mrs. Obama [would] be speaking at two commencements. And I saw the name of my school. And I … started screaming. After a few minutes of screaming, my sister kept saying how proud she was of me, knowing that I actually did it,” said Williams.
Celebrations also commenced at WMST High, a predominantly African American magnet charter school that was voted by Newsweek as one of the top 100 high schools in the country. Upwards of 99 percent of WMST students graduate and 98 percent pursue a college degree. Williams, who will deliver the biography of the first lady, said her letter to Obama basically said “as a youth and minority, we have this stereotype that we are criminals … especially my generation. And people already have [preconceived] thoughts [about] how we [will] act when they first meet us. And that is not true,” said Williams, who has been interviewed by three television stations and The New York Times. “I told her that where we come from, we are given strength by the conditions we grew up in, but we are given common sense by our families and that we strive our hardest to live above [bad] influence[s],” she said.
Williams said the first lady is the ultimate role model for young urbanites. “You don’t have to have a lot of money or a background of privilege to become successful. Mrs. Obama, she is the ideal person to emphasize that. She didn’t come from a lot of money. But she made those opportunities herself. And that’s the message that I want to give to my fellow students …,” she said.
Don’t worry. When the first lady appears at the WMST graduation, that message will definitely get across. –terry shropshire A copy of the letter that Jasmine sent to Michelle Obama.
