Coronado High School Junior Ella Mathis Becomes Council Intern

Coronado Councilmember Amy Steward has appointed Ella Mathis, a junior at Coronado High School, as her intern for the upcoming term. This internship will provide Mathis with an inside look at local governance, allowing her to participate in official meetings and engage with community leaders while honing her leadership and administrative skills.

Mathis recently relocated to Coronado from Virginia Beach with her military family. Previously, she earned recognition as her school’s Outstanding Science and Math Student of the Year. Her involvement in community service includes two summers as a guest engagement docent at the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center and being named a Virginia Space Coast Scholar at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility.

Active Community Engagement

Since moving to Coronado, Mathis has immersed herself in local activities. Notably, she helped establish a debate club at Coronado High School after discovering the absence of such a team. Through this initiative, she has created opportunities for her peers to engage in competitive speech and civic discourse.

“I’ve fallen in love with the sense of community and engagement here,”

Mathis expressed regarding her new home.

Her interest in city governance has been significantly influenced by her debate experiences, where she developed critical thinking skills and the ability to convey complex ideas persuasively. These skills were further refined during her participation in the Virginia Beach Sister City Association Youth Ambassador scholarship competition.

“During this competition, I worked closely with community leaders, former teachers, and school board members to develop the skills needed to serve as a Youth Ambassador,” Mathis explained. “I gained invaluable experience presenting formally, communicating the mission of the Association, and interacting with city leaders, which inspired a passion for civic leadership that I hope to turn into a lasting, positive impact.”

Internship Structure and Goals

The internship, which runs from January to April 2024, is designed to accommodate the academic commitments of participating students, including preparations for Advanced Placement testing and other end-of-year school activities.

“I am thrilled to have Ella on my team,” said Steward. “As a retired teacher, I am always eager to create opportunities for students. Once a teacher, always a teacher, and I suspect I will learn as much from Ella — if not more — as she will from me.”

Mathis’s internship with Councilmember Steward presents a unique opportunity for her to influence local governance while gaining valuable experience that could shape her future career in civic leadership.