A few years ago, Alec Pollard was thinking about transferring to another school. Now, he credits Coolidge High School for “an amazing education” that he says he could not have gotten anywhere else. “I fell in love with how passionate the teachers are, how engaged we are as a family, and how much everyone loves each other.” For the past few years, Alec has taken mostly Honors and AP classes at Coolidge, though his favorite class was DC History: “I’m a person of color, and it was important to learn how deeply rooted my city is. You have to learn about your past to go forward in your future.” At Temple University next year, Alec plans to double major in economics and political science, with a minor in Mandarin, to start a career in international business and ultimately, fund his own campaign for U.S. Senate. The reason why he’s most excited for college isn’t something you’d expect: “The competition. Every time I’m faced with competition, I always try my hardest to step up to the occasion and rise above. I use the best as a benchmark.” While he’s anxious to move on to the next chapter, Alec plans to stay involved with Coolidge as an alumni: “Socioeconomic status or where you live shouldn’t determine your opportunities. Teachers here put in their full support to make sure kids are given everything they need.” He adds one more thought, with a smile: “Coolidge is the best DCPS high school. You can quote me on that.” #DCPSGoesToCollege
