Welcome back to the POP QUIZ! This is a regular, yet totally unexpected, feature where we ask students, parents, staff, our friends, and partners to answer a few questions about what they are learning, reading, and thinking about. Today we feature twins, Diamond and Dominique Mahone.
Both students are fifth graders at King Westwood Elementary School and featured in our upcoming CIS Connections. In fact, they are the inspiration behind the newsletter’s theme: Double! We’re thankful to their school’s CIS Site Coordinator Laura Keiser for introducing us to these two young people who, because of their hard work, are succeeding in school. With support from their home and school family, and in concert with the community working through CIS, the twins attendance, behavior, and academics are on track as they prepare for middle school next year. “Diamond and Dominique are both unique and kind individuals,” notes Laura. “It’s wonderful to see how nice they are to each other. They compliment each other. Often, you see them walking around, arms casually resting around the other one’s shoulders.”
Earlier in the school year, we quizzed them separately and have combined their responses below. Alright, Diamond and Dominique: pencil out, eyes on your own paper. Good luck.
POP QUIZ
What is something interesting you’ve recently learned?
Diamond: How to multiply decimals. My math teacher, Ms. Sankarsingh, taught me.
Dominique: I’ve learned a lot of things, like more about how to write in cursive. I’m really bad at it but I’m getting better. We did it in third and fourth, and now we’re working on it again.
Favorite word?
Diamond: Basketball. I play it at the Boys & Girls Club. I’ve been playing since I was two years old.
Dominique: Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!
What are you currently reading?
Diamond: A book about a fire that happens in Detroit. I think it’s part of the Titanic series.
Dominique: Amulet, Book 7 and it’s called Firelight.
Favorite subject?
Diamond: Math and reading. Ms. Ghastin is my reading teacher.
Dominique: Math, gym, and library. Ms. Cruz-Davis is my math teacher. Ms. Melvin teaches gym and Ms. Langsam is the librarian and we check out two books per week.
What’s the best part about being a twin?
Diamond: We get to play together.
Dominique: Having someone to play with all the time.
What’s the hardest part?
Diamond: When we have to share things.
Dominique: Fighting. We fight about lots of petty things, like the remote to the TV.
What do you want to be when you grow up?
Diamond: A WNBA player.
Dominique: A doctor and a professional football player and maybe a soccer player and maybe a vet. I love animals. As a doctor, I might work with kids.
Upon graduating from high school, what colleges are you considering?
Diamond: Possibly Western.
Dominique: Kalamazoo College and then I might move to Florida for the hot weather.
Behind every successful student is a caring adult. Who is your caring adult?
Diamond: My mom. When I get bad grades, I can’t go anywhere until I do my homework. Ms. Pierce, too. We check in with each other every day at school. She’s helped me with my behavior in the classroom.
Dominique: Ms. Laura and my parents. My parents help me with a lot of things. Like homework, spelling, and a whole lot of other things. Ms. Laura finds tutors for me to help me get A’s. She’s also generous and nice and kind. And she helps other people a lot in the school. If it’s a parent that’s visiting, she helps them. She might give them directions or something. If it’s a kid that needs something, she helps them get it. So like, I’m going to Sherman Lake next week and I need a sleeping bag and she’s getting one for me. [Turns to Ms. Laura as she walks in the door.] You’re getting me a sleeping bag, right? [Laura smiles and says, “I’ve got it Dominique. Don’t you worry.]
Thank you, Diamond and Dominique!
Dominique working with his CIS tutor, Pat Early. Dominique credits his tutor and others with helping him succeed in school. Be on the lookout for the upcoming CIS newsletter to learn more about the twins and the many caring adults in their lives.
Here is Diamond with one of her caring adults, CIS tutor Rosalie Novara.
Tags: CIS, CIS Site Coordinators supporting students in schools, Communities In Schools of Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo Public Schools, King Westwood Elementary School, Laura Keiser, supporting students to succeed, teachers making a difference
