On June 7th, 2022, La Follette celebrated its first graduating group of LHS Grad Academy seniors with families, staff and students. Grad Academy is one of the Board of Visitors major areas of support.
Earning over 170 credits this year, students have worked diligently to complete graduation expectations in an environment that provides structures and supports and that honors students' experiences and self expression as they work toward recovering credits.
The school is proud to announce that, with the help of Grad Academy, 22 seniors will be crossing the stage at the Kohl Center on Friday, June 10, along with their La Follette peers. At the celebration, Mr. Carlson shared haikus about each student and several students shared how Grad Academy changed their lives.
A few highlights from Grad Academy students:
“Before Grad Academy I didn’t even want to come to school….But with Grad Academy you get a friendly greeting every morning and help to get started.”
“Grad Academy came along and was teaching me things other people weren’t being taught-all that grown life stuff. Grad Academy was a win-win. I saw my credits going up and realized I was going to graduate. It was just special. or real.”
“We should always shoot for higher but we should be grateful for what we have so we can work on what we want. A lot of people didn’t have Grad Academy and I am grateful for having this. Grad Academy was awesome!”
As you can see in some of the pictures, the students truly became a family through Grad Academy, supporting each other in earning this achievement. Students helped each other with coursework and with life. Mr. Carlson and Mr. Graham went over and beyond in every way to support these students in all that life brought their way. As one student said, “I wouldn’t be here today without Mr. Graham and Mr. Carlson.”
It also should be noted that the students are not just graduating from high school. They also have post-high school plans. Several have completed the FAFSA and seven students have already been accepted into collegestudy financial advising, cyber security, and diesel mechanics, among other disciplines. Two students are planning to attend Junior College,to play baseball and another student will earn their CDL license. Our very first graduatewho graduated early in January, shared at the celebration that she has completed her CNA license and is working full time.
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