Coronado High School Junior Named Intern for Councilmember Steward

Coronado Councilmember Amy Steward has appointed Ella Mathis, a junior at Coronado High School, as her intern for the upcoming term. This internship, running from January to April 2024, provides students with a unique opportunity to gain insight into city governance. Interns will attend official meetings, interact with community leaders, and enhance their leadership, communication, and administrative skills.

Mathis recently relocated from Virginia Beach with her military family. During her time in Virginia, she earned recognition as her school’s Outstanding Science and Math Student of the Year. Her experiences include two summers as a guest engagement docent at the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center and being selected as a Virginia Space Coast Scholar at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility. In addition to these accomplishments, she is also an award-winning debater.

Since moving to Coronado, Mathis has actively engaged with her new community. Upon discovering that Coronado High School lacked a debate team, she played a pivotal role in establishing a debate club. This initiative aims to provide peers with opportunities for competitive speech and civic discourse.

“I’ve fallen in love with the sense of community and engagement here,” Mathis remarked about residing in Coronado.

Her interest in city governance has been fueled by her debate experiences, where she honed her skills in critical thinking and persuasive communication. These abilities were further developed 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.”

The internship is structured to accommodate Mathis’s academic commitments, including Advanced Placement testing and various end-of-year activities.

“I am thrilled to have Ella on my team,” Steward stated. “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.”

Through this internship, Mathis aims to leverage her skills and experiences to make a meaningful contribution to her community while furthering her passion for civic engagement.