Kimberly Fernandez - Law & Policy Lab

Hello Everyone! My name is Kimberly Fernandez, I am a senior at Roosevelt High School currently attending my second year at The Center for Advanced Research and Technology (CART). This year I am a student in the Law and Policy Lab and last year I was in the Forensics Lab. Being a part of CART has been an amazing experience, and I am truly thankful for all the opportunities that have come along with CART. I have developed the ability to communicate effectively in a professional manner, engage with challenging concepts, and most importantly, learn different types of strategies and reflections (Habits Of the Mind ). 

In the Law and Policy Lab, we’ve been working on our advocacy project, and it’s actually been really interesting. We’ve had the chance to listen to a few advocates from Fresno County who came in to talk about what they do and the kinds of issues they focus on. They shared their experiences, some of the challenges they’ve faced, and how they’ve been able to make a real difference in their communities. Hearing their stories gave us a better idea of what advocacy really means, not just talking about change but actually working to make it happen. This project has helped us see how laws and policies affect people every day, and it’s shown us that our own voices can play a part in shaping those changes too. 

We got to choose from a few different topics for our project, and there were some really interesting options. Some of the choices included teen pregnancy, immigration, and drug addiction. After thinking about it for a bit, I decided to go with teen pregnancy. I feel like it’s an important issue that doesn’t get talked about enough, and I really want to bring more awareness to it. I’m excited to learn more about the causes, the challenges young parents face, and the ways we can help support teens in those situations. I think it’s going to be a meaningful topic to explore and share with others. 

I will always strongly encourage students to join CART, as it offers lifetime experiences and opportunities for not only your personal growth but also their professional growth. It is a great place to start looking at your options of careers and seeing what you really want to do while still being in high school.

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