Jaraina Jamison Class of 2012

Interview by Aneara Burns. Photo by Tanai Green.

Collegiate has a lot to offer including amazing teachers who push students to work hard, graduate and give back. Class of 2012 alum Jaraina Jamison took the call to give back personally. As a Collegiate teacher, she uses her personal experiences and passion to inspire students to pour into the next generation. I had the pleasure of speaking with Jamison about the adversity she faced as well as her career path into education. 

Aneara: What college did you attend and what was your major? 

Jamison: I graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2016. I majored in Political Science and African American Studies.

Aneara: Were there any struggles that you faced in college?

Jamison: I feel like having to be disciplined was a challenge because, of course, in high school, you could be a little more relaxed. So discipline was definitely something that I had to learn in college, as well as time management. I know that’s a very common answer that everyone says, but it was very true. In college, you have the luxury of pretty much making your own schedule, from the time you wake up to scheduling your classes—whether you're going to work or not. With so many options, and so much freedom, a lot of times I found myself cramming to study, or leaving a party and then going straight home to write a paper. Throughout my college experience, I had to learn how to manage my time appropriately, because a lot of times I was extremely tired by the end of the week because I had either pulled an all nighter, or I was in the library for five or six hours, as a result of me just not managing my time well. 

Aneara: What was your career path like?

Jamison: After college, I started out as a middle school counselor. I worked in behavioral management, as well as assisting teachers in any area that I could academically, but my main focus was behavior. I also was a student teacher at a college at VCU. From there, I kind of felt myself really liking education, so I started doing less and less government and political work and transitioned into the classroom as a teacher. I really haven't had as much political and government work experience as I would like, but it’s because I fell in love with education. I've been here at Collegiate for the last six years.

Aneara: Speaking of education, since you are an alumni, is there any particular reason why you chose to be a teacher at the school you attended? 

Jamison: Absolutely, I was a bit intentional. When I was in middle school, I knew I enjoyed teaching and children overall. It made me wonder how I could contribute actively to my community (which is part of the Friendship mission statement). Because I had a really good experience at Friendship since middle school, I thought that I could live out the mission by coming back to pour into children the same way I was poured into. So it was intentional once I made the shift from Alexandria City Public Schools into Friendship Public Charter Schools. Because I am a product of Friendship, I felt like I could reach my students, maybe even a little deeper than your average educator, because they can look at me as an example and say, “I can do it too”.

Aneara: Is there any advice that you would like to give to the class of 2023?

Jamison: My advice would be to utilize all of the opportunities and the resources that Friendship offers. Outside of just scholarships and the academic side, there is a lot of support for mental health, physical health and emotional issues. There are a number of people, not just in our building but who work in the organization, who will keep in touch and support our seniors once they make the transition from our building into the world of secondary education. So my advice would be to keep networking and keep the relationships that you’ve built with teachers and staff here. Keep those and don't take them for granted. Reach out whenever you need to. Also, understand that it is going to be a challenge. Nothing is going to be easy. The biggest thing that is going to matter outside of high school is to stay focused, especially when the going gets a little rough. Just go back to the drawing board, figure out ‘Plan B,’ and just remain focused. I believe in every one of the graduates in the Class of 2023. It was a pleasure being their teacher when they were freshmen and I can't wait to see some of the great things that they are going to go off and do.

Aneara Burns is a sophomore at Arizona State University.