Spring graduates celebrate achievements at TJJD's Lone Star High Schools

Dozens of young people are graduating at TJJD’s Lone Star high schools this spring – and two will receive a special recognition for having earned a “distinguished” academic diploma.

Giddings State School spring 2019 graduation in April.  

All the TJJD graduates can rejoice in their accomplishments. Many of these youth were able to turn-around what had been a spotty or interrupted school record, fill in the gaps, and secure either their high school diploma or graduate equivalency certificate. Others were doing well in their home high school and simply crossed the finish line at TJJD.

The two graduates receiving the special honor this graduation season attained a Distinguished Level of Achievement under the Texas Foundation High School program by completing advanced courses that exceeded those required for a high school diploma.

These two young men, one at the McLennan County State Correctional Facility and the other at the Evins Juvenile Correctional Center showed themselves, their teachers, families and classmates that they not only have smarts, but also grit and determination, said TJJD Superintendent of Education Luther Taliaferro.

Hugs at Giddings as Lone Star HS youth greet their parents.

“We’re very proud of them, and of all our spring graduates,” Taliaferro said. “Many of our youth have had to overcome serious obstacles, and we are thrilled to honor their educational achievements.”

Graduating TJJD youth and their families are invited to full cap and gown ceremonies, regaled with Pomp and Circumstance, and treated to cake and punch receptions afterward.

Araceli Sanchez, school counselor at Evins’ Lone Star South High School, said that their distinguished student, DT, never doubted he’d go for the 26 credits, required for the distinguished designation. A regular high school diploma requires 22.

“I told him, ‘you can graduate with 22,’ and as soon as I told him, he said, ‘Nope, I want the 26’,” and pointed out that he had not received less than a B in high school in his hometown,” she said.

“I just knew I had the ability to do more than the GED,” DT said. “I’ve always done well in school before I came here. It wasn’t really a problem (getting the distinguished designation).” His strongest subject is math, followed by science, he said.

He took pre-calculus, chemistry, psychology and government to fulfill the extra credits. The latter two courses DT took online through Navarro College, which has an agreement with TJJD schools. Those courses were dual-credit, meaning they count toward both high school and college requirements.

I just knew I wanted to push myself

"When I got here I just knew I wanted to push myself to get my diploma before I left. So every day I came to class I didn’t procrastinate, I started doing quizzes and reading. I knew in the long run it would be beneficial to me,” he said.

DT expects to acquire more credits through Navarro while at Evins, and later, continue on to a university, likely in Central Texas, near his hometown. He is expecting siblings, aunts and a grandmother to attend his graduation ceremony at Evins on June 7.

The distinguished graduate at McLennan, HB, said he decided to take the extra credits in topics that interested him, for instance, psychology and sociology. He pursued the distinguished program, he said, because that was the track he was on before coming to TJJD and “partly to be able to say, ‘I did this’,” he said.

“And it doesn’t hurt to put it on resumes.”

“Just because I messed up, even though I committed a crime, I can still receive what other people receive,” said HB who intends to become a computer engineer. He says he’ll attend community college in the fall to “get my basics done” and then hopes to transfer to the University of Houston to complete a master’s in computer science.

A mother examines the diploma.

He says his family has inspired his hard work while at McLennan. “I try to do well in school in order to be with my family and to help them. My parents have suffered a lot, they haven’t be able to have a lot of luxuries and I want to change that. I want to be able to give them a relaxed life for their elder years.”

Principal Craig Taylor recalled HB as a “very determined and patient” bilingual student who got along well with his peers – attributes and skills that will help propel his continued success.

The distinguished scholars aren’t the only stories being told at TJJD graduations. There are moments of great happiness in just getting together, keynote speakers offering their best advice and hugs all around, as parents, siblings, teachers, counselors and therapists fete the graduates. Some youth talk about how their GED (properly known as a Certificate of High School Equivalency) has put them on track. Others say they are proud of the vocational certificates they’ve earned at TJJD, and hope these will help them get jobs.

As of June 1, TJJD youth earned 335 industry certifications -- in welding, auto repair, technology, construction, horticulture and culinary arts this school year -- as well as another 184 supplemental certifications in First Aid, Occupational Safety (OSHA) and forklift operation.

The numbers of 2018-2019 graduates: 35 earning high school diplomas and 122 CHSE’s.

It’s all cause for celebration and the graduation reception at any one of the TJJD facilities is a technicolor event, fun, bittersweet, bubbling with emotion. A dad huddles close to his blue-gowned son as they enjoy slices of sheet cake. A group of siblings on folding chairs belly laugh over a secret joke. Mentors protectively encircle a few boys who have no family attending. Teachers adjust caps and tassels as the graduates pose with family for commemorative photos.

A mother clutches a hard-won diploma and smiles at her son.

“This is as much mine as it is yours,” she says, teasing her son at the recent graduation at Giddings State School. She had been to many meetings over the years to assure that her young man, who has a learning issue, received the educational help he needed, and she feeling well satisfied on this special day.

He was a star on the football field at his hometown school, she said, but struggled in some classes because of dyslexia. Now she hopes when he returns home this summer, he’ll be able to parlay his sports talent into an offer from a community college and continue forward.

“My kids listen to me, and they’re pretty successful,” she said. “I’ve got to get this last one out and in the right direction.” Watching him receive his full high school diploma at Giddings “wasn’t my ideal way,” she chuckled.

“But you couldn’t ask for more. I’m very happy.”