Syamyia Beach says that George Washington Univeristy (GW) has been her “dream school” since she toured the school for the first time in 6th grade as part of a field trip organized by Sousa Middle School. This fall, Syamyia will be joining the GW community as a Stephen J. Trachtenberg scholar, through which she will receive a full scholarship including tuition, room and board, and meals. Syamyia says that she was so excited to apply to GW that she completed her application on December 5, a month before the January 5 deadline. At GW, Syamyia plans on majoring in business management and interior architecture to prepare for a career in interior design. Through Ballou High School’s NAF Academy of Hospitality and Tourism, Symayia met Ms. Lee, who she says has been a mentor and introduced her to field of interior design. “Without my mom and Ms. Lee, I wouldn’t be who I am today,” Syamyia says. Speaking about Syamyia, Ms. Lee says she has a “commanding presence without a whole lot of noise” amongst her peers and has emerged as a leader in her class. Through the NAF Academy, Syamyia has had a number of opportunities to gain career experiences including a past internship at the Holiday Inn where she says she gained experience in all aspects of hotel operations from laundry to the front desk. “It showed me how hard you have to work in this world to get where you need to be in life.” Working with her classmates, Syamyai published a book entitled, “The Ballou We Know,” to share their perspective on the school. “The kids at Ballou know where they see themselves in the future. They know how they’re going to get to where they want to be, and they’re striving for it.” #DCPSGoesToCollege
