Student of the Month: Elizabeth Roque

Elizabeth Roque graduated from Notre Dame Middle School in 2007 and made an easy transition to Divine Savior Holy Angels High School. Now a junior, Elizabeth has made great strides in her academic work and has already begun a career in community relations. During a trip to Washington D.C., she was able to address important issues for the Latino community, thus demonstrating her stance on peace and justice. With excellent morals, compassion for others and intelligence to boot, there is no telling what Elizabeth will do next.

The summer before her freshman year, Elizabeth became part of Upward Bound at Marquette University, a college preparatory program for first generation college perspectives.  With a four year commitment, the program strives to develop self-motivated and responsible college students through specialized classes, college placement advisement, counseling, and social and cultural activities and trips.

Elizabeth is also an integral member of the Youth Advisor Council run through the Greater Milwaukee Foundation. The foundation awards several grants to organizations in the community and funds service projects.  They work in two grant cycles over the school year and can award up to $2500 to a project. Elizabeth was elected secretary of the Youth Advisor Council which entails updating rosters, sending out reminders to organizations and members of the council, and recording the minutes of each meeting. 

At the beginning of this school year, Elizabeth was accepted into the Stein Scholars College Prep Program.  The Stein Scholars is composed of college-bound high school juniors and seniors who attend bi-weekly workshops and are self-motivated to complete assignments on time and have the opportunity to have a paid high school internship.  As a branch of the Stein Scholars, Elizabeth is part of the Pre-Imposed Council.  This council, of which she is also the secretary, puts together grant booklets, promotes awareness of the organization, holds info sessions, and reviews applications. 

            Having so much experience with topics in social justice, it is no surprise that Elizabeth applied for a program run through the League of United Latin American Citizens that focused on better health care for all Americans.  She heard about this program through a family member who works for Senator Feingold and went on to be the only student from Wisconsin to be accepted.  Being admitted to this program gave Elizabeth not only the opportunity to meet with 55 other students from all around the United States, but it also meant she would be spending four days in Washington D.C., meeting with Congress, getting to know other students who shared her interests and touring the country’s capitol.

            The students were able to discuss issues that affect the Latino community with leaders of the U.S. Congress and corporate America.  Some of the topics were comprehensive health care, school-based health care, coverage of immigrants, lowering the cost of prescription drugs, nutritional instruction, healthier options in lunchrooms, increased physical activities in schools and peer-to-peer health programs. Once the students presented these to Congress they had the opportunity to discuss and collaborate on a document that stated their opinions and proposed some solutions which were then sent out to congressional representatives. 

In an interview by the Wisconsin chapter of League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), Elizabeth said, “Going to Washington D.C. was a once in a lifetime experience.  I was able to meet people from all over the U.S. and learned more than I expected about Health Care Reform.  This reform will cover more citizens than it does now.  The importance is that a high percentage of Americans will be insured.  This is a wonderful experience that I will forever cherish.”

With only three semesters left in her high school career, Elizabeth is already looking ahead to her college career.  She may join her two older sisters at Marquette University to study business and accounting. Her family, friends, and the staff at Notre Dame Middle School know that whichever school she decides to attend will be lucky to have her.