Green Dot: Proponent of Educational Reform

I never question the importance of education. Education is the force that drives success. To question the significance of education is blasphemous. Any successful individual will attribute his or her successes to education. The importance of education has escalated now that a graduate degree is needed to compete in the nation's competitive job markets. The only reasonable debate against education is that there are not enough students receiving a quality education.

Questions are raised: why is there a gap in the quality of education between districts and why is education not the highest priority for reform? There have been strides in educational reform but there has yet to be a comprehensive change measure in which progress can be seen by district officials, school staff, students and parents. The next question then becomes: will changes ever occur?

I witnessed the beginning of a transformation at my high school, Alain Leroy Locke High. I attended Locke for four years and while in attendance, I was constantly questioned by individuals as to why I had chosen Locke high school? Which gang ran Locke? Was it true teachers hung in the halls and skipped class? Was everyone stupid at Locke? Who graduated from Locke? And the most disheartening, what did I think I would become after graduating from Locke? Where did I think I could possibly end up?

Yes, people in this world are harsh, but that has inspired my pursuit of prosperity. Yes, at one time many of the worst teachers in the district resided on staff at Locke, but there were teachers who cared dearly about their performance, our performance and the performance of the school as a whole. Yes, there were continuously 200 student or lower culminating classes from Locke and a high percentage of dropouts. People outside of Locke often highlighted the number of students that fell at the feet of success and surrendered to a life of complacency and underachievement, but not the number of students who confronted academic and societal boundaries and succeeded. The group of students who did not prosper would become the faces of Locke, and the group of successful graduates would be disregarded. Society often emphasizes the negative aspects of situations, placing them at the forefront of any issue, while stating ways to resolve the issues without ever actively instituting a solution.

In 2007, there was a break in the storm of negativity, and optimism peered through in the form of revolution by concerned staff. After years of petitioning and finding resources to escape the Los Angeles Unified School District's grip on Locke, Green Dot Public Schools helped pull Locke from the quicksand it would surely have sunk in if the status quo had remained.

The transformation of Locke High school went into effect after a school board decision to give rights and privileges of Locke to Green Dot in September 2007. The first transition I saw was the shift in the scenery. Actress Cameron Diaz donated trees, flowers and grass to the landscape reconstruction of our quad. The generous donation beautified our campus and made it comforting for all students.

Green Dot made every teacher and staff member reapply for their respective positions. While this upset many, it showed me who truly cared about the reformation of Locke and who did not. After the application process ended, I witnessed the influx of young, vibrant, insightful, concerned and proactive teachers and staff.

Although I was blessed with teachers with those qualities before the reformation, the majority of my peers were not as fortunate. Green Dot provided all students an avenue for success. The stronger students were placed in intellectually and academically challenging classes. Average-performing students were placed in classes where they were challenged to improve, yet encouraged to complete the requisite courses for graduation. Students who were credit deficient were placed in a newly constructed system called the Advanced Path Academy, which allowed them to recover credits and, in many cases, graduate on time with the rest of their class.

What I learned after I graduated from Locke was that I did not choose Locke in 2005, Locke chose me. Locke was not the best academic or athletic high school in LAUSD, but it may be the only school in LAUSD that saw a problem within their school and made a change. Although I knew I was on track to graduate prior to Green Dot's arrival, I felt a sense of inspiration in witnessing and living the transformation process. Locke took a chance so maybe I needed to take one. I took a chance leaving home in Watts for college in Washington, D.C. I took a chance leaving my comfortable surrounding for the unknown. I took those chances for education. And since then, my future has never seemed so bright. Education illuminated opportunities that were once invisible. Now that I am aware of just a fragment of these opportunities, I have no choice but to explore them all.

However, I should not be the exception. There are students like me, with similar drive and spirit, who aspire to become much more than average; who refuse to allow the imposed barriers of a sub-par public education stop them from accomplishing their dreams. I did not prevail on my own and neither will those students. My question becomes: who will illuminate opportunities for those students who cannot see past the skepticism? Who will advocate?

Comments

[nwwools]

You appear to be a bright and perseverant young man with strong qualities that will serve you well in your journey towards "prosperity," whatever that may mean for you. Continue to work hard, take nothing for granted, and remember a quote that has helped me achieve my own personal lofty goals. "Some succeed because they are destined to. Most succeed because they are determined to." And of course, always continue with education and help where you can. I'm lucky to be good friends with the AD at Locke so I know about all that has happened at your alma mater. Take the lessons you learned there and continue moving forward in a positive direction, you will continue to achieve big things. Great job.

[iackers]

i believe that having a good education is the building block to a successful future and that education is what our world so highly values . you cant even get a job with a high school diploma any more people are looking for more qualified men and women to work for them .

[adaehn42]

I believe that education is one of the major keys of success. However, I don't believe that it is the only key to success. Although I feel this way, I still believe that education is extremely important and must be thought of as such when considering reforming it. I also don't agree that every successful person will accredit their success to education, but I think that a majority of them would. In order to reform education, I believe that the reformers must begin reform with the attitudes of the students and the parents of the school district's attitudes towards education.

[ahulls]

I agree that education is extremely important. It is very inspiring for kids to hear your success story! Many more people like you should share their stories with the public to make an impact. If more people shared their stories, like you did, rather than just talk about how important school is, there may actually be a change.

[mtthewkapusta]

I think we can all take this inspiring story to heart and realize how great we have it at UAHS. Imagine yourself at East High School where the teachers have no control over their students, and don't care what grade you get in their class, their main goal is to get you to show up to their class at least half the time and maybe you'll be one of the lucky ones to graduate. This article showed how this young man overcame his steep obstacles and reached his goal of attending college as a Journalism major. I congratulate this young man.

[JennyRipper]

I believe that education is very important, especially for those who want to succeed in life. By giving these kids the right kind of schooling they need to graduate high school is a great thing. Before most would have not graduated now though it seems as if most will have the credits to do so. Allowing students to have this shot to go on to college and continue their education and give them that chance to make something of their life's is what we should all be trying to do. Educated the youth of today can only help our society grow and improve ourselves for the better of man kind.

[Chris Yost]

I thought this was a very cool article and it makes me think about the small things that can reform a school. For instance the environment and the landscape of a school building can make it more inviting along with many other things i thought it was a great article.

[Jane Chuang]

I agree with you that education is important and it's the force that drives to success. Yet I believe learning environment also plays an imprtant role. People can get more education under a great, positive environment where they can always find lots of sources. Some people like you may need no help to find the passion or the path for future. However, most of students have struggled about what they want to be in the future or not yet find their passion. This is where good teachers and staffs come right in to help. They guide and direct student on their paths of education toward success. Teachers also puch student a little to have them challenge themselves. So I totally look forward to the reform of educaiton in Lucke HIgh School. Under the reformed environment, teachers and staff, I believe the student's futures are unlimited.

[DrewCook]

I think that education is important, but more importantly than that is what you get from your education. You can attend a school with a poor education system, yet I believe that it's what you take away and how you apply what you have learned is what is most important. Micheal went to a school with a poor eduaction system, yet he while he was there, he found his passion for writing. He is now going to college to write, which is something that he loves to do, and a better school couldn't have showed him his passion any better. Teachers can only tell the students what they should do, the rest is up to the actual students to follow up with their actions and decide what they want to do with their life.

[kasivazquez]

wow... this article was very inspiring. Its awesome to see someone do something about their education rather than just sitting back and doing nothing. Help with your education can really give you that extra push to do stuff you thought you would have never been able to do. Education is very important and im glad to see that someone can really make a difference at their school.

[Phil Jaskot]

I feel education is an extremely important step in the development of children and young adults. Without proper education it's hard to get by and do well in the world we live in today. I completely agree with Michael in that an education reform needs to be thought because there are many programs out there that are not sufficient for the students and do not give them a good chance in the future. I also agree with him that when a young adult is put into a situation where countless people are telling them their school isn't is bad, or they aren't going to achieve anything in their future. It is very hard for a young adult to be mature and work past these barriers that society has set up around them. I feel this article has a good point and a good argument towards educational reform.

[mattgolden]

I agree that education is crazy important. I went to a school in Michigan where the teachers didn't really care and the education was less than spectacular. Most of the kids there don't plan on going to college and don't have a great outlook on the future. There need to be more success stories like the one at your school. Thanks for sharing. I also like how you're a young guy and you're already making an impact.

[cford]

I like how you see education as being so important. Also, how you look at the success over the failures. This positive attitude is the only way to change the future. I cannot even imagine going to a school with no trees and flowers. However, these simple changes of new teachers and adding flowers make the biggest difference. Good work and keep supporting all the changes.

[Taylor Rutherford]

If this isn't an inspiration to everyone who reads this, I don't know what else possibly could be. My current government teacher used to teach at Watts and knew Michael personally and had nothing but praise to give him, and for good reason too. The fact that Michael took the time to make the changes being made to Locke a public announcement by writing a story about it, says that these changes clearly meant a lot to him. As many posts below mine have explained, many of us at UA would never even be able to imagine the thought of a poor education system, let alone one comparable to Locke's. However, I do realize that the environment a student is surrounded by an indeed determine his or her future's outcome. A negative surrounding and teachers who don't care is just asking for their students to fail. But congratulations Michael for not letting those factors determine your future. I hope the other students at Locke can see and understand your success.

[streglia]

This a very inspiring story. I could not believe with the transformation of Locke High School to Greendot High School, so many things changed. No one wanted to go to Locke High School because of the high drop out rates and the lack of dedication from the teachers. After the refor the teachers had to reapply for their job. This showed that the eachers who did really cared. After the change, Greendot High School became looked upon as a normal High School that anyone would be willing to attend. The article mentions how much change you saw in the teachers and students in a positive aspect. It is great that you bring attention to a case like this. I imagine there are many other places that used to be in the same situation as this one. I hope that this story can inspire other schools to do the same.