From Founding Student to Founding Teacher
This month, beginning with National Charter Schools Week, we will feature stories from charter school graduates from across the country. Check back every day to see a new student feature in our 30 Days of Grad series.
Many people can name decisions that changed their lives forever. One of mine was in 2005 as a freshman in high school in Denver, Colorado. I spent two weeks convincing my parents that traveling on two buses and a train one-way to attend a public charter school across the city was worth it. As a new charter school, DSST was making promises that my parents had never seen accomplished in our community.
The moment I stepped off the number 20 bus onto a beautiful and modern high school campus, I was given exactly the opportunities my family and I were promised. With a combination of rigorous courses, instructional supports, and focus on core values, I was introduced to a world where my identity was valued and molded. I was exposed to academic habits that would help me excel in college, and that focus on college culture brought about the sense of equity I had been dreaming of.