Katelynn Apodaca was inspired to restart her education after a surprise visit to her home from Pebble Hills High School Principal Ivan Ramirez and assistant principals Luis Carrillo and David Woods on Saturday morning.
Apodaca left Pebble Hills during her senior year to take care of her daughter. She wanted to finish school but was unsure how to do it with an infant at home until Ramirez and his team told her about Options High School. This non-traditional high school in the Socorro Independent School District offers numerous academic options and a unique competency-based learning system for students to earn their high school diploma.
"What we recommend, mija, with your baby go and visit us on Monday," Ramirez told Apodoca and her boyfriend, Antonio Zubia, as they stood on the porch of Zubia's parents' home. "We'll sit down with you. We'll go through everything. We'll run your transcript, we'll give you the application, we'll give you all that it takes to try to get you in.”
Zubia’s house was one of some 400 homes that Socorro ISD teachers and school administrators, including Superintendent Nate Carman, Ed.D., visited during the district’s annual Walk for Success on Sept. 9.
Since 2014, Team SISD members have walked the neighborhoods surrounding high school feeder areas to talk to students who have yet to enroll in the new school year. Educators speak to the students, parents, or family members about the opportunities available to return to school, earn their high school diploma, and pursue their higher education and career aspirations.
“I think I will totally do it,” Apodaca said about finishing high school. “I was very nervous. I didn’t think that I could go to school and take care of my daughter. So just to hear about Options High School, it just makes me very happy!”
Director of Attendance Angelica Hernandez said SISD is the first district in El Paso to hold this type of large-scale outreach event.
“In five years, we have made a difference in the lives of 302 students,” Hernandez said. “That makes them productive citizens in our society whether they get a high school diploma or a GED.”
Team SISD began reaching out to former students in August when principals, assistant principals, and counselors participated in a districtwide callout event at the SISD Technology Services Center. Volunteers made 800 phone calls and spoke to 289 students about re-enrolling in school. Since then, 191 of them have become active students.
Before teams headed out on Saturday morning, Dr. Carman thanked SISD members for their efforts to empower former students to return to school.
"Today is critical to ensure we leave no students behind," Dr. Carman said. "We're the first district to conduct an event of this magnitude in efforts to locate our students and bring them home. Others are following in our footsteps, but clearly, Team SISD continues to lead the way. Let our students know they have endless opportunities awaiting them in Team SISD."
The Eastlake Falcons administration team was among the 81 teams to reach out to students around their feeder area in Socorro ISD neighborhoods.
“Our goal is to find these kids and try to bring them back to school because it is a great benefit to them,” said Esther Valle, Eastlake High School assistant principal. “Today was a win, and I’m sure we’ll see some kids ready to re-enroll on Monday morning. We need to let them know that their diploma or GED will help open doors for them to have better opportunities.”
Sophia Chaidez was surprised to see Socorro High School Principal Ignacio Estorga and his team knocking on her door. Chaidez, who left school one month before graduation, said she felt happy that the school's administrators and teachers were determined to help her obtain her high school diploma.
“They did all of this just to watch me graduate, which I think is really nice and really encourages me to finish my school and get my diploma and maybe start thinking about college,” Chaidez said.
El Dorado High School Principal Vanessa Betancourt said helping students overcome barriers to graduate from high school and achieve their full potential was a top priority.
"These are our kids, our community, so we know the struggles and hardships they've been through," Bentacourt said. "It means everything to us to get them across the stage. That is a testament to our work and the connections we make, which is what education is about -- to make kids believe in themselves as much as we believe in them."