- Houston Independent School District
- 2012
- August 2012
Summer Graduation Ceremony Adds Hundreds of Members to Class of 2012
August 23, 2012
Whether they got there by completing summer school classes, passing a section of the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) or earning credits through one of the district’s Advanced Virtual Academies (AVA)/Twilight campuses, the students who crossed the stage at the Delmar Field House on Aug. 18 all had one thing in common—they were now HISD alumni.
About 350 students joined the ranks of the more than 9,300 members of the Class of 2012 this summer when they completed the graduation requirements needed to receive their high-school diplomas.
Andrea Martinez, who enrolled in the AVA/Twilight at Milby High School last September, was one of them. Now 22, the soldier’s wife and mother to a 3-year-old had hoped to have her husband cheering her on in person as she accepted her diploma this past weekend, but his return from deployment overseas was delayed. Nevertheless, Martinez celebrated passing the science section of the TAKS and finishing the last three courses she needed to graduate with her father-in-law and other family members.
“Andrea is a prime example of how programs unique to HISD have really helped students realize their dreams,” said Graduation Coach Abby Rodriguez. “It has been such a pleasure to watch her reach her goals and mature. She has been a real role model to the class, always encouraging other students to continue their education and demonstrating her determination. If she didn't have a babysitter, for instance, she just brought her son with her.”
Soon, Martinez will be moving to North Carolina, where she hopes to be reunited with her husband upon his return from Afghanistan.
Read other AVA/Twilight students’ inspiring stories in these postings from July 2011 and January 2011.