June was an exciting month for Denver Public Schools’ class of 2016. Graduation is a time of celebration and reflection, while also looking ahead at what is yet to come. Over the past couple of weeks DPS seniors crossed commencement stages across Denver to receive their diplomas and embark upon the next phase of their lives. Whether it’s attending college or beginning a new career, these students leave DPS ready for new adventures and where life will take them.
DPS prides itself in preparing students to be college and career ready through workforce development programs such as CareerConnect and by offering AP courses and college classes. Meet some of our recently graduated DPS seniors who have taken part in these programs and more:
Meet Oula
Graduated from: South High School
Region: Southeast Denver
When fifth-grade student Oula first enrolled in DPS, she did not speak English. With help from DPS teachers and the DPS English Language Acquisition program, Oula learned to speak English fluently within one year. By sixth grade she was an honor roll student. This past year, as student body president of South High School, Oula became a leader among her peers and participated in several opportunities funded by the DPS Foundation, including afterschool programs and the student leadership program Challenge 5280. She hopes to attend Stanford University in the fall to study pre-med. Thanks to DPS’ unique combination of English language integration and student-centered services, students like Oula are becoming model leaders and citizens in our community.
Meet Francisco
Graduated from: CEC Middle College
Region: Northwest Denver
When Francisco was a sophomore, he was doing the bare minimum at school until when one of his teachers pushed him to get involved and become a representative of the Student Board of Education. Calling him “Mr. President,” his teacher believed in Francisco’s potential and encouraged him to excel in school and to be a leader among his peers. While at CEC Middle College, Francisco took advantage of just about every DPS program and leadership activity offered. He served on the executive board of the Student Board of Education and took part in DPS committees and groups, such as the Whole Child Steering Committee, in which he collaborated with the DPS Board of Education to help members make important decisions. He was also one of few chosen to represent DPS students at the Our DPS Day last summer – speaking in front of 1,000 members of Team DPS. During his time at CEC Middle College, Francisco was able to take many career-based classes to help him find out what he’s most interested in – a future in business.
A big congratulations to all of our recently graduated DPS students! There are many doors now open for you. We’d like to wish all of our DPS graduates the best of luck on their upcoming journeys as young adults. We are sure they will be their most exciting years yet! Learn ways that you can get involved in helping students graduate for years to come.