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MDAA’s Franc Owens: ‘Don’t Be a Follower’
Franc Owens has a lot of ground to make up. At 16, he committed a robbery and spent 20 months in a juvenile center. He emerged determined to turn his life around — and is doing that at Miami-Dade Acce...
At CCAA, Queen Bell Forges ‘A Better Version of Me’
Before she got pregnant at age 15, Queen Bell says she was satisfied to coast along in school. “As long as I was getting a C, I really didn’t care.” But when gave birth to her son, Ya’Siyah, a year ag...
Academies in Action: The Power of Resilience
Each month, we take a moment to learn from the educational leaders who bring the Acceleration Academies mission to life, day in and day out. This month, we asked our academy leaders to respond to this...
Bethel Grads Celebrate Their Resilience and Newfound Opportunity
The first wave of 2022 graduates from Bethel Acceleration Academies recently celebrated the successful completion of what, for many of them, had been a long journey to graduation. As they handed the g...
Lowcountry Acceleration Academy Celebrates First Grads
Lowcountry Acceleration Academy celebrated its first graduates in a joyful, tearful and at times boisterous celebration Thursday. Family, friends and educators crowded the brightly painted Academy to ...
Latrell Gardner: ‘I Didn’t Want to Take the Easy Way Out’
Latrell Gardner knows he must travel a long road to earn his high school diploma. But after the road he’s been on, he sees nothing but promise ahead. “I understand that we’re going to go through some ...
Escambia Advocate: Learning Together ‘Like a Family’
Students arrive at Escambia County Acceleration Academies with challenges ranging from social anxiety to single parenthood, poverty to trouble with the law — and, often, a hunger for adult role models...
Sarasota Graduation Candidate: ‘I’m a Student, Not a Number on the Roster Here’
For Adore Carter, Acceleration Academies’ flexible schedule allows her to work around work and other demands in her life, while still keeping her moving toward her goal of graduating and refining her ...
Miami Grad: “They Were Not Just My Teachers”
A year ago, Gabriel Saravia Santos despaired that he might never earn his high school diploma. But for his determination and the help of Miami-Dade Acceleration Academies, he might not have. “I was cl...
Academies in Action: Offering a Fresh Start
Each month, we take a moment to learn from the educational leaders who bring the Acceleration Academies mission to life, day in and day out. This month, we asked our academy leaders to respond to this...
SLAA English Coach: ‘A Course Completion is Great. To Have a Life is Priceless’
Jacques Voltaire teaches Shakespeare, runs an SAT/ACT boot camp and routinely helps immigrant learners navigate high school in a brand new language. And the challenges they face? Voltaire knows them f...
Academies in Action: The Promise of a New Year
Each month, we take a moment to learn from the educational leaders who bring the Acceleration Academies mission to life, day in and day out. This month, we asked our Academy Directors to respond to th...
