On February 27, during a mid-year ceremony, students from four Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE) community schools received their high school diplomas.
Held at the Sierra Health Foundation on Garden Highway, the ceremony acknowledged the academic achievements of 15 graduating students from Eleanor Lincoln Hickey Jr./Sr. High School, Gerber Jr./Sr. High School, El Centro Jr./Sr. High school, and North Area Community School.
“This graduation shows how capable you all are of reaching your goals when you commit yourselves to them,” David W. Gordon, County Superintendent of Schools, told the graduates. “I hope all of you can take this personal accomplishment as an example of how anything is truly possible when you put your mind to it.”
Principal Lisa Alcalá and Program Specialist Craig Bradford presented diplomas, along with Sacramento County Board of Education Trustees Heather Davis, Bina Lefkovitz, and Jacquelyn Levy.
Many of the graduates took part in SCOE’s Senior Extension Program, which aims to re-engage students who are in jeopardy of dropping out of high school—or who have been out of school and want to return to complete their graduation requirements.
Community Schools provide an alternative education program for at-risk students from Sacramento County school districts who have been expelled or display behavioral problems. The schools provide core academics and interventions, which are aligned with education standards. Services are tailored to individual students based on their specific needs.
Following the diploma ceremony, family members, friends, mentors, school faculty, and staff celebrated at a reception hosted by SCOE.