Q&A with Julia Frank, Student Board Representative
Julia Frank, a senior at Northeast High School, is an entrepreneur, holds a part-time job and is actively involved in her community. She is the owner of City Slickers Lip Balm Co., works at Ernie’s Pizzeria, and is a Red Cross/CPR certified babysitter. She has also volunteered at Kenbrook Camp, Children’s Nursery Caretaker, and Spirit & Truth Fellowship.
We took some time to sit down and chat with Julia to learn more about her interest in being the student voice for her peers across Philadelphia.
Q: What interested you in the Student Board Representative position?
A: I applied for the position because I love this city and want to advocate for the interests of students across Philadelphia. I am excited to share the students’ voice and perspective with the new Board.
Q: What particular strengths do you believe that you will bring to the Student Board Representative position?
A: I am hardworking, dedicated, and work well with others. Also, I attend a comprehensive neighborhood high school that has a magnet program and career and technology programs. I think that my school experience will help me to better represent students with diverse educational and vocational interests.
Q: What value can a student voice bring to the new Board of Education?
A: A student representative can communicate student opinions, give input on policies that affect students and the school community, and share Board actions with students.
Q: Being a senior and taking on this opportunity in addition to your classes and other activities is going to be a lot of work. What are some tips and tricks that you use to balance everything?
A: I find that the busier I am, the more focused and careful I am with my time. I have a lot of tough classes, a job, and I’m pretty active in my school. I would say that the trick to balancing it all is using a planner to schedule tasks, prioritize study time, and manage my free time.
Q: What’s the last book that you’ve read?
A: The Awakening by Kate Chopin.
Q: Who inspires you and why?
A: My mom. My mom’s life was not easy; yet, she was able to overcome difficult circumstances to achieve a lot in life. She was the first person in her family to graduate from high school and to go to college. She shows me everyday that with hard work, anything is possible.
Q: If you had the influence and resources to initiate any change (big or small) within our city, what would it be?
A: With unlimited influence and resources, I would want to eliminate poverty because poverty impacts education, health, and economic development in the city. I would also focus on providing expansive opportunities for students throughout the district– fully-funded arts and humanities programs at every school, career and technical job partnerships, academic enrichment programs—you name it.
Q: You’re stranded on an island and you can only bring three items with you. What are they?
A: An inflatable raft with oars (so that I could leave), some good books to stay entertained, and water (because you for quite a while on only water).