Nativity Preparatory Academy Celebrates First Graduation
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"I never wanted to end up like other kids in other schools, around drugs and all that stuff,” said Jose Rosario.
That's exactly the decision Jose made during his admissions interview with nativity preparatory academy. Students must agree to display a willingness to work hard, treat others with respect, and to become a leader in their community; a decision they were reminded of every time the going got tough.
"They've grown from childhood into being young adults,” said Diane Crowley, Nativity principal.
Crowley has watched these students make the transition to an intensive curriculum that ends at six o’clock at night and includes weekend sessions, providing over 550 additional hours of learning. .
"They have prepared us mentally and physically. You know, this is what's going to happen, this is what is expected of you. When they say you have a day to do this, you only have a day,” said Victoria Brooks, who will be attending Our Lady of Mercy.
Other than academics, teachers discuss issues at home, in the community, peer pressure, and diversity.
"You can't give up, you can do this but you're going to have to persevere and you're going to have challenges but you can't let them bring you down. You can overcome it,” said Crowley.
"Every day, I think about how my future is going to go and I hope I can achieve what my dreams are,” said Jose, who will be attending McQuaid.
For the graduating students, these dreams range from a CSI agent and computer engineer to a news reporter. Their career paths may change as they get older. The characteristics of a leader are what Nativity hopes will keep them on track.
It costs $10,000 a year to educate each student and while parents do pay some tuition, donors have enabled this year's enrollment of 44 to jump to almost 60 this fall. Nativity's dream is for all the graduating students to start a cycle of giving back and return to mentor other students in the future.