Dallas ISD To Host First Academic Signing Day

30 Apr 2009

Academic Success Program seniors in Dallas ISD have received more than $60 million in financial aid offers and admission to top universities

DALLAS–More than 250 Dallas Independent School District high school seniors and their parents will gather on Wednesday, May 6, at 2 p.m. at the Ellis Davis Field House, 9191 S. Polk St., to celebrate the inaugural Academic Signing Day, an event designed to recognize students for academic achievement and acceptance to college.

The Dallas Independent School District students are participants in the Academic Success Program, a college access initiative operating in 12 Dallas ISD high schools that connects first-generation college-bound students with top-tier universities.

Students of the Class of 2009 have so far received more than $60 million in financial aid offers and acceptances to hundreds of colleges including the Ivy League and major Texas universities.

"I feel incredible pride for these students and their parents," said Superintendent of Schools Michael Hinojosa. "Some of these students entered high school and didn't think college was even a remote possibility. And now they are preparing to attend some of the best universities in the nation. Just as important, they are setting an example for their siblings and cousins and underclassmen, who will now see that it's a real possibility for them, too. That's the ripple effect of the Academic Success Program."

The "signing day" model was inspired by the athletic ritual of high school students publicly announcing which college team they plan to play for.

"We are working with Dallas ISD to create a culture where students who excel in academics are truly celebrated," said Tom Urquidez, executive director of the Academic Success Program. "During the years our students are in college and after they graduate, they will return to this community to teach and inspire younger generations of students. We expect great things to come from our Class of 2009."

The Academic Success Program works to remove all barriers to college for the students it serves. It accomplishes this by working simultaneously with students, parents and colleges. For students, it offers SAT preparation, academic help and assistance with college applications. For parents, it addresses financial and cultural concerns about their children leaving home. For colleges, it provides access to well-prepared prospective students.

Among the students being honored:

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• At the age of fourteen, Maria Acevedo walked through the doors of W. W. Samuell High School with neither knowledge of the American school system nor the English language. Yet, Maria will graduate as the valedictorian of her senior class. Her passion for learning and relentless drive to succeed against all odds led her to stay hours before and after school to learn English. One of Maria's goals as an upperclassman has been to tutor other English language learning students. As a result of her hard work and the guidance of the Academic Success Program, Maria has received acceptances to many colleges, including Brown University, Cornell University, University of Pennsylvania, and University of Chicago.
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• With the highest SAT score in his school, Albert Anderson, has become the only David W. Carter High School senior this year to be accepted to not one, but two Ivy League schools: Cornell University and Dartmouth College, making this the second year in a row a student from Carter was admitted to the Ivy League. In addition, Albert has received full-ride scholarships to other prestigious universities such as Emory, Johns Hopkins, and University of Chicago. Albert has excelled in the Academic Success Program. Apart from continuing the Ivy League acceptance streak for a second year, Albert and other members of Academic Success Program hope to set a positive example for younger students by volunteering for empowerment camps, community service programs, and tutoring initiatives to assist fellow classmates.
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• Caleb Jaimes is the valedictorian at H. Grady Spruce High School. This year, Caleb has done more than just secure his place as one of the nation's top students; he has paved the way for others in his community to do the same. As co-President of the Academic Success Program Spruce, Caleb works with his peers and younger students to inspire them to achieve their dreams. Caleb has tutored underclassmen in the TAKS and SAT both after school and during spring break. Caleb has been accepted to prestigious universities such as Stanford, Columbia, Duke, Northwestern, Rice, Notre Dame and New York universities.
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• Diana Stephens, a student at Sunset High School and an Academic Placement Scholar, has taken 15 Advanced Placement classes, is ranked second in her graduating class of over 500, and has received multiple awards, including Superintendent Scholar and Commendable on all TAKS standardized tests every year of high school. Diana wants to help her peers learn about the necessary steps to achieve a college education. To meet this goal, Diana has acted as a mentor to elementary through high school students in many programs, including the Academic Success Program, a new college access program at Sunset High School. With the support of the Academic Success Program, she has been accepted to several colleges. However, her top three choices are Georgetown University in Washington D.C., Colgate University in New York, and Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania.
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The second core belief adopted by the Board of Trustees is we believe that educators have the most powerful impact on student achievement.

For a complete list of core beliefs, visit the Web site at http://www.dallasisd.org/about/vision.htm.