Cheyanne Hayes, a graduate of North Point High School, shows off her diploma after graduating this summer.LA PLATA, Md. (August 01, 2017)—Summer school graduation is different than traditional high school graduations.
There are 27 graduates, with 23 walking in the ceremony on July 26 at Westlake High School. The robes are not uniform; they create a rainbow with each senior wearing their school's colors. There's St. Charles green, Westlake teal and North Point red; navy for La Plata, purple for Maurice J. McDonough and blue for Thomas Stone and Henry E. Lackey high schools.
Teens who didn't know each other 30 days ago when summer school started June 26, help each other straighten their mortarboards, discuss post-graduate plans and chat like old friends.
Guest speaker Marvin Jones, executive director of schools, said the graduates showed fortitude in earning their high school diplomas. "You had opportunities to give up and you didn't. You pressed on," he said. "As great as this accomplishment is, it's only the beginning."
Members of the Class of 2017 who earned their diplomas in summer school include:
HENRY E. LACKEY HIGH SCHOOL: Zachary Duncan, Mathew Lehman, Hunter Windsor
LA PLATA HIGH SCHOOL: Justin Blocker, Ionna Dyson
MAURICE J. MCDONOUGH HIGH SCHOOL: Clarence Bell, James Fournier, Jabari Martin, Bruce McAfee, Arianna Rivera, Disney Sams, Josiah Young
NORTH POINT HIGH SCHOOL: Isaiah Alston, Cheyanne Hayes
ST. CHARLES HIGH SCHOOL: Dazi'ya Gattis, Jamal Ibrahim, Carlos Marable, Aljieron Parker, Alexas Phillip, William Reynolds, Harlan Weber
THOMAS STONE HIGH SCHOOL: Tyree Johnson, Tevin Washington
WESTLAKE HIGH SCHOOL: Daikiah Dickerson, William Leake III, Zenobia Smith, Keenan Tyree