Oakland school has entire senior class move onto college

OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) -- Oakland has a significant number of students who drop out of high school every year, so for one school to have 100 percent of its graduates accepted to college is a major achievement. ABC7 meets a group of students who got their diplomas last week.

Aspire Golden State College Preparatory Academy is located in East Oakland. The students there come from one of Oakland's most underserved communities.

"So ethnic minorities, first generation to go to college, low income, about 86 percent of our student population is low income," said Lauren Sabia from Aspire Golden State College Prep.

Yet the entire class of 2012 will go on to college. While, some may have had their doubts, they never stopped believing in that dream.

"First it was Harvard and then it was Yale and it was different things at first. I wanted to be a lawyer because I loved to argue when I was little," said Brittney Hill, a student.

Hill will instead go into health care at San Francisco State with a full scholarship. Aspire Golden State is a public charter school with a rigorous academic curriculum.

"Our school makes education a number one priority to the point that we don't have P.E. anymore. College classes take the place of that," said Omega Glover, a student.

"Not only that you can, but we expect that of you and we hold those high expectations that you are going to go and we are going to help you get there," said Sabia.

Student Christina Perez never gave up, even after getting pregnant. She has an 11-month-old baby.

"It represents something good that her mother is actually going to college and is going to give her a better future," said Christina.

Christina's mother, Maria Estela Perez, said that she only went up to the sixth grade and that she is proud of her daughter.

Going on to college means they will move on to better things.

"Success, that you are going to have a good job, you are going to be able to support your family and your kids, and instead on depending on others, you will depend on yourself," said Kimberly Chacon, a student.

Get more Education »

oakland, education, lyanne melendez

• Comment Now
• Email
• Print
• Report a typo
•