D'Antee Harris is not your typical sixth grader. While many children at this age are still figuring themselves out, she seems to already know exactly what she wants to do with her life. D'Antee hopes to become a surgeon one day so that she can help others, and I have no doubt in my mind that she will succeed in whatever she puts her mind to. I spent over ten hours with D'Antee this semester, and I never once witnessed her giving less than 100%.
Despite her young age, D'Antee is extremely mature and deeply engaged with present day issues. As the new treasurer of Social Justice Club, her first project is to raise money for a class trip to an ice cream parlor in which black men staged a sit-in to protest segregation. Her knowledge and passion are a testament to the amazing ways in which KIPP is empowering their students. When I asked her what her favorite thing about KIPP was, D'Antee said it was being pushed to work harder than she is supposed to because she knows it will lead to better opportunities.
I loved getting to know D'Antee this semester. She is a compassionate and intelligent individual who is a pleasure to be around. During our conversations, D'Antee never failed to ask about my day or about my weekend, and was always genuinely interested in getting to know more about me. Overall, this project was a phenomenal experience and I am so thankful to KIPP for opening their doors to us and letting us document the wonderful things that are going on. It was truly an honor to photograph D'Antee this semester.