By Angie Larrea
Hempstead High School
For Jonnae Greene, transitioning from homeschooling to Baldwin Senior High School meant more than adjusting to a new classroom.
It meant overcoming assumptions about her abilities. And while many students might have been discouraged by the challenge, Jonnae used it as motivation.
“People started perceiving it as, ‘Oh, you need to catch up,'” she recalled. “And boom—I just started scoring from there.”
The 16-year-old, who has spent her whole life in Freeport, began her schooling in the Baldwin public school district’s Brookside Elementary School. She was taught at home during her middle school years. She greeted returning to a traditional classroom with arms open. Overcoming any obstacles of transitioning, she is now an award-winning, family-motivated and resilient teenager who strives to succeed via vigorous work.
“I’ll definitely say going into in person schooling, it was like you had to prove yourself, because people automatically think ‘Oh you’re homeschooled, so you’re not up to date with what other students are doing,’” she said, “but when I’m given a challenge, I become so focused on accomplishing it. So immediately when I got to school I started excelling in all my classes. You really only get one chance to do high school so I always believed I might as well do my best.”
She puts her all out there by joining the Youth Change Leader Collaborative Studios, which is a student-organized club at her school with award-winning student broadcasters. Jonnae also contributes to her school’s local news show, “What’s Bruin?” She also enjoys art, music and gaming.
Jonnae’s mother, Jamilah Greene, commented that Jonnae has always been a risk taker as well as logical and organized in achieving her goals. “Whatever her responsibilities are, she is highly disciplined. She has a remarkably high work ethic to learn.”
Jonnae credits her mother and grandmother, Beatrice, for being a major source of motivation in her life. Jonnae describes her grandma’s house as being “wrapped in warmth and encouragement.”
Jonnae’s passion for journalism began when she enrolled in her high school’s four-year media program. “At the start of high school, I knew nothing about media.” she said. “And then I was like, ‘you know what? If I put my mind to it, and I’m willing to put the effort in to make it work. I know I can start the journey immediately.’”
Her dedication and willingness to embrace new opportunities persuaded her to apply to the Robert W. Greene Summer Institute for High School Journalists. “I hope to gain more experience.” Jonnae said. “I’m excited to network and meet people from schools all around New York. I know I want to go into college for media so this gives me insight into what steps I’ll take after I graduate.”