According to School Counselor Chris Oliva, George F. Baker High School senior Charlie Nemec is the only TUFSD scholar in the past 10 years who has had an interest in pursuing a post-secondary education in fashion design.
Although Charlie had always been interested in fashion, it wasn’t until recently that she realized it was something she could actually pursue.
“At my old school I blended into the crowd,” said Charlie, who transferred to TUFSD at the end of her sophomore year. “I didn’t have a lot of confidence that art and fashion was actually something I could do.”
At GFB, her doodles and sketches caught the attention of teachers, who encouraged her to do more. Charlie credits this individualized attention with building her confidence to pursue her passions. “Everyone here knows your name. They really care and take an interest in you,” she noted.
George Grant Mason Elementary School Art teacher Mark Stankiewicz assisted Charlie with assembling her art portfolio for college applications. “Charlie is one of the most ambitious art students that we have had. She has her own style, and I encouraged her to embrace that,” he stated.
Music teacher Clayton Chan feels that Charlie’s artistic talent isn’t the only thing that is impressive about her. "The most important thing you should know about Charlie is that she is one of the kindest students I have ever had the privilege of teaching."
Art teacher Kris Greco summed it up by saying “There is no doubt in my mind that she is going to be a name that we are going to hear and see in the future. She just has that special something, whatever it is - we will for sure see her on the runway.”