Semira Set Up For Success Back At School

Despite Thursday’s high-90 degree temperatures, Felicia Scott and her daughter’s goddaughter Semira Estep waded through the crowd at Bowen Field as they exchanged memories and educational wisdom in preparation for New Haven Public Schools’ first day back.

Semira, 6, is a rising second grader at Barnard Environmental Magnet School. She was one of the nearly 20,000 students invited to attend a NHPS Back to School Rally at Bowen Field. NHPS’s first day of school is scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 29.

After hearing about the event on 94.3 WYBC, Scott was eager to pick up some school supplies and prepare Semira for the upcoming school year. ​“We’ve been here since around 3:30, so we missed all [the free school supplies],” she said.

Scott has worked as a nurse at Arden Care Center in Hamden for 21 years. Her family having relocated from Columbia, South Carolina to New Haven just months after she was born, Scott is a product of NHPS. ​“It looks a lot different from when I went through here. We didn’t have all this technology, and we certainly didn’t have events like this.”

For as long as she can remember, education has been integral to Scott’s parenting. Her daughter, Hillhouse High School class of 2010, learned she missed a credit just days before graduation. ​“They were charging a couple hundred for summer school, so I just told her that she would be going back next year,” Scott said. ​“And she did, and she finished strong.”

Now, Scott is doing everything she can to set Semira up for success. Spending over six hours a week together, the pair dedicates nearly half of that time to schoolwork. ​“We started out with flashcards as soon as she could speak. Just basic stuff, you know, numbers and letters. Once she got to kindergarten, I introduced sight words and addition and subtraction.”

Scott’s efforts are paying off. ​“I really, really like math and reading — and recess, too,” said Semira. ​“If I could plan school, we would just have math and reading. And recess. Like, maybe two recesses. But everything else is math and reading.”

When school is out for the summer, the pair spends the rest of their time together making memories that will last. Next up on the list: a visit to the trampoline park.

“When are we going back to that really cool trampoline park?” asked Semira about her favorite adventure with Scott.

“I told you, remember? We’re going back on your birthday.”

“September 23!”

“Do you remember the year?”

With a little help from Scott, Semira carried the ones and puzzled over her birth year in this reporter’s notepad. ​“I got it! 2018.”

When asked about her hopes for Semira’s future, Scott took a step back. ​“Last year, it was cheerleading, this year it’s dancing — you never know. I just hope she finds something that makes her happy and that she can be successful in.”

Before school starts on Thursday, Scott and Semira have plans to pick a few last essentials for the upcoming school year. ​“My mom got me these,” said Semira, gesturing to her pair of black Uggs, ​“but now I’m going to get unicorn shoes!”

“And black shoes to match your uniform, right?”

“I guess. But, I can wear my unicorn shoes to recess!”