GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Graduation season is upon us. For Southwest Middle/High School in Grand Rapids, this year is special. Not only is it the school’s first graduating class, but many students are also becoming first generation graduates in their families.
Southwest Middle/High school is different than most schools because students take classes in both Spanish and English.
Principal Julian Ramirez-Torres says, "A lot of our students here are bilingual, because other parents, their first language is Spanish already. So, creating something that celebrates that cultural piece, and that language piece for the community was super important."
Grand Rapids Public Schools opened this school 4 years ago to serve a community that predominantly speaks Spanish.
“It's what the neighborhood wanted. They're seeing the success. We have 55 seniors in this class and all 55 of them are on track to graduate. So, it's a great accomplishment” said Principal Ramirez-Torres.
Senior Janelys Castillo says, “It was just the best thing for this entire community.”
Janelys says she has experienced many language barriers and is glad to be graduating from a bilingual high school saying, “It's just open so many different doors to many different people. Like you can come here learn how to speak Spanish, you can come here and not learning not knowing how to speak English and learn it. Like there's so many different things that are just brought up to you and that you can develop in so many different ways.”
For many of the seniors, their families are proud because they never had the chance to get a high school diploma. Principal Ramirez-Torres says, “A lot of our scholars will be first generation graduates of high school. So not only are they accomplishing their goals and dreams, but also their parent’s goals and dreams.”
“They've never really had the chance to have a traditional high school so kind of exciting for them exciting for me as well.” Said senior Gabriel Amaya
Principal Ramirez says the class of 2024 fulfills a promise to this neighborhood saying, “It's something that the community has been wanting, it was a dream. But now it's becoming a reality.”
Janelys says this school has already opened many different doors for her and is glad to be in the first of many graduating classes in the future. She says, “It's just so it's just an awesome opportunity. And I can't wait to see what the future is going to build out of this out of the school and this community. It's just, I just can't wait to see it.”
Southwest Middle/High School’s graduation commencement is scheduled for Tuesday May 21st at 5pm at Houseman Field.
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