79 seniors, 79 bound for college this fall
Charter school's first graduating class bats 1.000
By Nancy Mitchell, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)
Friday, April 11, 2008
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Javier Manzano / The Rocky
Wearing shirts promoting the colleges and universities where they will enroll next fall, seniors at the Denver School of Science and Technology cheer after their yearbook portrait was taken.
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Kamaria Hakeem still gets mad when she tells the story, a flash of anger crossing her face at a memory now four years old:
"You know black kids don't do good in schools like that."
Schools like that would be the Denver School of Science and Technology, where Hakeem enrolled as a member of the school's first freshmen class in 2004.
She was excited about the charter school, and she told that to a girl who is most definitely not a friend now, Hakeem says.
"You know black kids don't do good in schools like that," the girl said then, leaving Hakeem momentarily speechless.
"Those boxes that society creates for some of us," Hakeem said Thursday - a little older, a little wiser and far from silent - "we're pushing the limits on those boxes."
Hakeem carried a T-shirt bearing the emblem of Howard University, where she'll enroll this fall, as DSST celebrated the fact that all 79 seniors in its first graduating class have been accepted to four- year colleges and universities.
To promote today's College in Colorado campaign - when adults are encouraged to wear shirts proclaiming the college they attended - the 79 seniors put on their future college shirts and posed for pictures.
Unique feat
The idea of the campaign is to raise awareness of the importance of higher education in a state where only one in five ninth-graders will earn a college degree, said Corrie Houck, the initiative's marketing director.
DSST's feat of perfect four-year college acceptance, unique for a metro-area public school, is intended to highlight that college can be a goal for everyone. Though Hakeem and classmates Lyness Hill and Ben Wilkerson - headed for Colorado College and Stanford, respectively - will be the first to say that it was hard.
"I was considered in middle school to be academically advanced," Hill said. "I had to work to be considered average here."
Not every student persevered. Of the 131 students in DSST's first freshmen class, only 79 are seniors. Bill Kurtz, head of school, said 30 students were held back because they didn't demonstrate the skills necessary to go to the next grade level.
Of those 30, five are still at DSST as 11th-graders. Five more in the original class moved from Denver and 15 students left because the school wasn't a great fit, Kurtz said.
Family breakthrough
Such declines between grades nine and 12 aren't unusual. Denver's East High School, for example, had 633 freshmen in fall 2004 and 476 seniors in fall 2007.
Hakeem, Wilkerson and Hill represent the spectrum at DSST, where the senior class is 60 percent minority, 50 percent will be the first in their families to go to college and 40 percent are low-income.
Wilkerson is white, both parents are college-educated and his older brother is at Stanford. But even he struggled initially at DSST.
Hill describes herself as a "poster child" of the disadvantaged - poor, black, one parent at home, no college experience in her family.
"Just because you've been in a cycle, you don't have to stay in it," she said. "If your mind-set is one of defeat, that's what you're going to get. DPS is not doing anything to change that mind-set."
And Hakeem, who once wanted to smack the girl who told her "black kids don't do good," has done something better. She's got an A+ in precalculus.
mitchelln@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-5245
Denver School of Science and Technology
* Location: 2000 Valentia St. in Stapleton
* Enrollment: 431 in grades nine through 12; grade six is being added this fall
* Demographics: 41 percent low-income, 65 percent minority
* State rating: Excellent
Read more
* To learn more about DSST, log on to scienceandtech.org
* To learn more about College in Colorado, log on to college incolorado.org
Comments
Posted by jane on April 11, 2008 at 5:54 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I think it's wonderful that these schools are here and an option for all motivated and bright children, particularly from historically underserved populations. That being said, it is disturbing that anyone would think to compare a school that handpicks its population and can remove students who are "not a good fit", or for that matter can hold back students (since parents have the override option in DPS) to a public school who must teach and keep whoever walks in the door, regardless of whether they are a "fit" for the goals and climate of the school. Charter schools and public schools are two completely different animals and simply cannot be compared.
Posted by prk166 on April 11, 2008 at 8:37 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Jane, they can and should be compared. We just need to keep in mind those differences when evaluating what the comparisons mean.
Posted by Ztliano on April 11, 2008 at 10:48 a.m. (Suggest removal)
College is a complete waste of time.
Posted by gusking on April 11, 2008 at 11:24 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Jane-
First of all, as a senior at Denver School of Science and Technology, I would like to respond to the comment that you made about our school because it is inaccurate and based upon many misconceptions about this extraordinary charter school.
Most importantly, I will be pleased to tell you that each student who is admitted to DSST is chosen by a lottery system, not "handpicked" at as you suggested in your comment. Students come from various backgrounds and neighborhoods, including North Park Hill, Stapleton, Aurora, Northwest Denver, Montbello, and Central Denver. As quoted in the paper, 41% of the students are from low-income families and 65% are minorities.
Also, to your dismay, each student who does leave DSST leaves by their choice or is expelled for a behavior infraction. DSST upholds DPS rules and regulations when it comes to behavior issues--3 suspensions and then you will be expelled. We are a DPS charter school; we uphold the norms as other schools are expected to do as well.
Last but not least, the climate of our school may have few similarities to any other high school, but it’s never a reason to segregate any student if they “don’t fit” or not, as you suggested. Each student is accepted into this community based on who they are as a person, not what race they are, not what socio-economic status they have… they are accepted as a friend.
I would hope the next time you decide to discredit any school based on their uniqueness; you should first visit the school, and then form your opinion.
Thanks,
Gus King
Posted by ePhan on April 11, 2008 at 12:39 p.m. (Suggest removal)
"Posted by Zeteliano on April 11, 2008 at 10:48 a.m. (Suggest removal)
College is a complete waste of time."
Good job.. you've proved your point.
As for the school they've worked very hard into placing everyone into a 4 year college. College should be a piece of cake as I had a little brother taking home physics courses the 1st year and at that moment I knew this school is no joke.
I am disappointed about the laptops promised to the students.. but that's another story..
Posted by axooms on April 11, 2008 at 10:52 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Just to add to Gus's excellent response, when the first poster writes that "Charter schools and public schools are two completely different animals and simply cannot be compared" she clearly is not aware that all Colorado charter schools are (gasp) public schools.
Moreover, Charter's are less selective than many District schools: Denver School of the Arts, Hamilton, Morey, and others that are considered top schools have competitive admissions programs either entirely or embedded within larger student populations. Charters admit students by a random lottery. Which group does more to "handpick its population"?
Some basic information on Charters: http://www.coloradoleague.org/facts_a...
DSST is an exemplary school, one of (if not the best) in Colorado, and it is time everyone stopped looking for reasons to avoid making comparisons with underperforming district schools and instead take a harder look to see if there is anything from which they might learn.
Posted by kathyM on April 12, 2008 at 11:15 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Wow, 30 students held back! Now there's a school administration with some guts. And I bet those 30 students will also graduate with college acceptances in hand.
Posted by yvettegentry on April 12, 2008 at 1:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Bravo Gus!!!!!
I am a parent of a student that was held back during the initial year. I must say, it was very difficult to be in that position. My initial reaction was anger not only at my student but also at the school. After some thought, I decided one of the lessons that my student needed to learn was accountability. I am bursting with gratitude because DSST stood firm and my student has grown, not just academically but in all areas of her life and she is looking forward to attending college in Europe in the Fall of 2009. So this proud parent thanks DSST from the bottom of my heart!!!!
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