Graduates Share Stories of Perseverance, Determination and Hard Work
GRAND RAPIDS – Despite sometimes overwhelming odds, hundreds of students from Grand Rapids Public Schools will graduate on June 10 and 11, walking to receive their diplomas at Houseman Field. To congratulate the Class of 2011 and recognize their success, five billboards went up in Grand Rapids locations this week. The billboards highlight 23 graduating seniors from Central, Creston, Grand Rapids Montessori, Ottawa Hills and Union High schools.
Featured students live or have lived in the Believe 2 Become zones shown on the map above, and have overcome significant challenges to graduate. They were selected by their guidance counselors to serve as billboard models… and role models.
“I like to be a role model for others,” says Lamarr Sherills, Central High School graduating senior. “The rest of my family hasn’t stayed in school. My mom really wants me to be the one to succeed.” In high school, Lamarr played basketball, ran track, and played drums in the marching band. In the fall, he will attend Ferris State University.
Yarisbel Segura was just 7 years old when her family moved to West Michigan from Puerto Rico. “At first I didn’t want to be here,” she says. “I didn’t know anyone. And it was hard to make friends.” Yarisbel, who is usually called “Jadee,” found her friends and her happiness in sports: track, softball and volley ball. Now a Union graduate headed to GVSU, she plans to pursue a career as a family physician or surgeon.
When a family move took Eli Rodas away from Grand Rapids for the first part of his senior year, he missed everything about Michigan, especially his friends. He was thrilled when he was able to return to finish his senior year at Creston. “I love Creston,” he says. “It’s a great school.” After a fabulous finish to his high school career, Eli will attend Grand Rapids Community College to study music production. “I’d like to be able to teach it someday,” he says.
Kaniquia Williams has good advice for next year’s freshmen class: “Don’t mess up your freshman year!,” she cautions. “It will affect you so bad your senior year.” Despite a few slip-ups early on, Kaniquia recovered nicely , will graduate from Ottawa Hills Saturday, and enroll in Kalamazoo Valley Community College in the fall. The future business and accounting major is grateful for her mom’s support through her high school career. “What has she done?,” Kaniquia asks. “EVERYTHING.”
Profiles of these four, plus 19 more graduating seniors, are posted at www.ibelieveibecome.org:
Michael Bates
Corinthious Bowen
Taneka Brazier
Charisma Brewster
Jaivyn Brown
Jonathan Davis
Emny De Leon
Adeline Ford
Whitney Green
Wendy Gomez
Eric Jones
Jack Kraushaar
Danzell Maze
Nebiat Mengsteab
Phoung Nguyen
Fernando Pichardo
Breanna Toliver-Reed
Cesar Vargas
Thanh Vo
Members of the community are encouraged to sign the pledge on the website affirming their belief in Grand Rapids students. “We salute all of this year’s graduating seniors,” says Willie Patterson, Believe 2 Become community liaison from LINC. “We have faith that they are going to continue to make us proud.”
Believe 2 Become is a collaborative partnership of hundreds of organizations and individuals who believe in the unlimited potential of Grand Rapids students, and expect them to succeed. Believe 2 Become is creating real opportunities for students to become the people they aspire to be. www.ibelieveibecome.org
