VOA标准英语2013--DC School Delivers Quality Education for African-American Girls

 

DC School Delivers Quality Education for African-American Girls

They start their day with a prayer.

Then it’s off to class at The Washington Middle School for Girls in the nation's capital. One hundred students attend this Catholic¹ day school. They come from low-income homes with complex family backgrounds. Many are being raised by a single parent or grandparent. 

Sister Mary Bourdon founded the school 14 years ago. Private donations cover most of the costs, including the $15,000-a-year tuition² and a federal lunch program that gives students a hot meal each day. The school is located in a community where teen pregnancy³ is high and many girls are at risk for leaving school early. 

"This is where we wanted our school to be, where we could reach young girls during their middle-school years and intervene⁴ in a way that sets them on the track to a healthy and happy adulthood," Bourdon said.

Sister Bourdon says students often enter the school below their grade level and are not motivated. "One of the first things we do is get the teachers who excite them about learning," she said. "They get personal individual attention."

Class sizes are small, giving teachers like Kelly Lockard an opportunity to work one-on-one.

"If I am able to develop that relationship with them and if they are able to feel comfortable with me, that helps with the intrinsic⁵ motivation," she explained. "And it helps with them just relaxing and being comfortable to be able to ask whatever questions they need to ask about about math or about life."

Neaje is excelling⁶ and wants to be a doctor someday. "In my previous schools, they didn't have as much as this school has and the love and the care that they show for me. We all have high expectations for ourselves," she noted⁷. "And so do our teachers."

Makayla is another success. She came to the school three years ago shy and lacking self confidence. Now she's eager to learn.

“When I'm here, I feel challenged. I don't feel like I am getting the lowest education or this isn't good enough for me. I feel like I am being pushed to my limits to do my best," she said.

Makayla says this school has given her hope for what she wants to achieve in life.

"I think there should be a lot of other schools like this one," she added. "Because it provides you with a good education and it helps you be the best that you can be."

Ninety-seven percent of the students here graduate from high school, compared with less than half at DC public schools. That's success for a private school helping⁸ young girls fulfill⁹ their dreams. 

1 catholic   

adj.天主教的；n.天主教徒

参考例句：

• The Pope is the supreme leader of the Roman Catholic Church.教皇是罗马天主教的最高领袖。
• She was a devoutly Catholic.她是一个虔诚地天主教徒。

2 tuition   

n.（某一学科的）教学，讲授，指导，学费

参考例句：

• Students can apply for individual tuition.学生可以申请个别指导。
• Is this money enough for the tuition fee?这些钱交学费够吗？

3 pregnancy   

n.怀孕，怀孕期

参考例句：

• Early pregnancy is often accompanied by nausea.怀孕早期常有恶心的现象。
• Smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of miscarriage.怀孕期吸烟会增加流产的危险。

4 intervene   

vi.干涉，干预，干扰，阻挠

参考例句：

• When riot broke out,the police were obliged to intervene.发生暴乱时，警察有责任干预。
• You don't intervene between those two drunks.你不要在那两个酒鬼之间进行调解。

5 intrinsic   

adj.固有的，本质的，内在的

参考例句：

• The intrinsic worth of the pen is 30 yuan.这支钢笔本身价值是30元。
• The character is intrinsic.性格是内在的。

6 excelling   

优于，擅长( excel的现在分词 )； 胜过平时

参考例句：

• The rockery in the park is of wonderful workmanship excelling nature. 公园里的假山巧夺天工。
• Dukakis has a history of enduring, even excelling at, hardball campaigns. 杜卡基斯一向能承受，甚至擅长选举硬仗。

7 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

8 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

9 fulfill   

vt.履行，实现，完成；满足，使满意

参考例句：

• If you make a promise you should fulfill it.如果你许诺了，你就要履行你的诺言。
• This company should be able to fulfill our requirements.这家公司应该能够满足我们的要求。