. Teenager Serves City as Youth Mayor The Hilltop
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Photo Courtesy of Markus Bachelor 17-year-old student at Thurgood Marshall Academy is considered a young Obama among his peers.
by Christina Downs Copy Chief At the Ward 8 Democrats meeting in Anacostia, Markus Batchelor works the room like a pro. Surrounded by local political figureheads like Phillip Pannell (whom Markus calls “Phil”), chiming in heated conversations after a vicious primary election for the party, one might assume that Batchelor is just another one of the law school graduates and political veterans that typically grace these types of events. However, the DC Youth Mayor is a senior in high school. He is 17 years old.
Markus stood outside the Matthews Memorial Baptist Church in Southeast D.C. where the meeting was held on Aug. 25. His six-foot stature paired with a seemingly boney frame, allowing for ample amounts of billow room between his body and the crisp white dress shirt he was sporting. Sleeves rolled up, tie efficiently fashioned, Markus fit the part well. Even his ears, which protruded a tad, gave him the resemblance of Mr. President himself. Pen in hand, he described the scene behind the locked doors. “So this is the meeting after the primary. We’ve been discussing
pretty typical things, but now’s the discussion portion,” he said, “when people say whatever they want. You know the things that they probably could’ve emailed.” As D.C. Youth Mayor, he was responsible for responding to the needs of the D.C. youth. In the case of the multiple teacher layoffs that Chancellor Michele Rhee and Mayor Fenty enforced last fall, Markus often was charged with moderating conversations and arguments between youth leaders. It was instances like this and the famous February blizzard, Markus said, that lost much of the D.C. youth Fenty supporters,
who were eligible to vote in the primary election this past September. “I think (Rhee) and Fenty got a little paranoid after Obama made some comment about Fenty closing D.C. schools too often. (The President) said that the schools in Chicago used to only close if there was four feet of snow,” Markus said. “So when there finally was two feet of snow, they decided to keep the schools open.” Overall, Markus recalls the experience as a struggle. “It was definitely hard,” he said. His political position affects nearly every aspect of his life. When he is not wearing his school uniform and trekking the Thurgood Marshall Academy halls, dreading math and loving government class, he is conquering the District’s political scene, leaving little room for a social life. Eight hours during the week for school, plus the night hours for community events and appearances. His Fridays? Markus calls them his “rest nights,” reserved for hitting the bed around 7:00 p.m. and preparing for the events someone has “pressured” him into doing. Saturdays follow a similar tune. “I know it sounds cliché, but I usually prepare for church, do my homework and any chores I’ve neglected to do over the week,” he said. With little room for partying, Markus’s interaction with peers usually occurs within his time at school. “I have a close circle of friends.” After being with the same students for four years, his political ambitions have remained that of unique teenage behavior. It has even awarded Markus a
nickname, “Obama.” “There are the kids that play sports. The kids that do drama,” he said. “And then Markus does politics.” After graduating this May, Markus plans to attend college at a nearby university, studying political science. As for his political journey, he has no plans of stopping. His plans for freshman year include a campaign for D.C. School Board. And despite his nickname, Markus wants to keep his reach local. “So much of D.C. is underserved, especially the African-American community,” he said. “I want to focus my leadership on the local people.”
Photo Courtesy of Markus Bachelor Bachelor poses for photo with President Barack Obama and other students.
Students Neglect Local Treasure by Stacy-Ann Ellis Contributing Writer A young customer walks through the doors at 700 V Street, NW, and is instantly greeted with ‘Good morning, honey’ and ‘How are you today?’ The smiling waitress brings out a grilled cheese sandwich with bacon and tomato, hot, crispy chicken tenders, and a side of baked macaroni and cheese with two small orange juices. The grand total for this meal: $12.03. With large helpings of food and economical prices, Wilson’s Restaurant could be a Howard gem, but very few students get to actually see it shine. Since its establishment in 1994, Wilson’s Restaurant has been serving the neighborhoods around Howard. However, Howard University students seldom stop by for a meal. “Maybe they think that Wilson’s isn’t catering to Howard, but on the contrary, they are,” Shakeyla Turton, a junior advertising major, said. “I feel like it’s a very studentfriendly atmosphere. They have a Greek section and they have a lot of football and other kind of sports ‘nalia up on the wall. It’s an interesting place to be and it reminds me of ‘A Different World.’” The establishment does resemble the Hillman University eatery featured on “A Different World,” a
television show shown during the late 80s and early 90s. Framed celebrity pictures cover the wall behind the counter. The other walls of the restaurant are a collage of helmets and jerseys from professional sport teams and D.C. college paraphernalia. To some Howard students, Wilson’s really is a different world, as there are students that have never even heard of the restaurant. “They don’t advertise,” Lauren McEwen said, a junior print journalism major. “Whereas other businesses are shown to us during freshman week; they don’t advertise with Howard in the freshman package. People coming in have no way of knowing about it.” Maria Hall, a supervisor at Wilson’s, said that they have been trying to bring in more Howard students. “We have some of them that haven’t been over here yet and that we’re still trying to bring in over here.” Michael Roy, a junior legal communications major, first visited Wilson’s at the end of his sophomore year. “I think some Howard students know about it and I did hear about people going there freshman year, but I haven’t heard much about it since. I think people just like to get away from Howard and Georgia Avenue and don’t know about Wilson’s student discount or just how good the food is.” Roy was also unaware of the stu-
Photo Courtesy of Stacy-Ann Ellis Wilson’s Restaurant, located directly across the street from Howard University Hospial, is often overlooked by students.
dent discount. Hall feels that this is a shame since the family oriented restaurant has much to offer students. “There’s great food, great fun, a great atmosphere and students get a 10% discount.” McEwen feels that the reason for a lack of Howard clientele is much more basic. “It doesn’t look appealing to us. The building looks older,
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like the service might be slow.” Turton agrees. She says that this generation is drawn to buy something based on its appearance. “We could be judging it from the outside because it looks kind of simple. We’re the generation that is used to big, bold and flashy. It doesn’t have golden arches so it doesn’t really catch your eye,” she said. Modern appearance or not,
Wilson’s Restaurant continues to stay true to its clientele and uses its homey atmosphere and home-style meals to satisfy the Howard students that do come. Hall did not hesitate to mention the restaurant’s crowd favorite. “That’s an easy one. The wings and the cornbread!” she said with a laugh. “Students love the corn muffins.”
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