CPS Visit to Albizu Campos a Success!

By Matthew Rodriguez

It has been over ten years since the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) visited Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos Puerto Rican High School. Their recent visit on Tuesday, January 12, 2010 was inspired by CPS’ ongoing interest to figure out what to do about Chicago’s crisis in students who “drop-out”. They came to see a campus of Youth Connection Charter School (YCCS), looking for the following: the operations of our school; student achievement levels; graduation rates; retention rates; attendance percentages; and student T.A.B.E. scores. They left impressed to the point that the new CPS Special Assistant to Chief of Staff, Jennifer Vidis said, “I want to come back to your school, we have a lot to learn from what you guys are doing”.

The group from CPS were met by eleven students that self-selected to be a part of the “welcoming committee”. The students included: Richard Cagnetta, Josette Delgado, Samantha Rivera, Jesus García, Dainah Malave, Anthony Soria, Maraiah Rodríguez, Hector Reyes, Ashley Cartegena, Edward Colón, and Alejandra Lugo.

These students have a wide range of experiences and are at different levels at our school. Some of these students are Sophomores and others are Seniors, some are young parents, some play on our sports teams, are poetry team members, are in our Dual Enrollment program with Wright College, some are students with 4.0’s and others are still making improvements. Even with all their variety, they spoke with one voice, one passion and one spirit, saying that Albizu Campos High School is the second chance at education that they needed.

The students spoke clearly, were articulate and motivated, poised and profound. Every question that was asked, students were prepared to answer using examples and experiences that they have lived at our school. Students boasted with pride about their mentors, their classrooms and teachers, the “above and beyond” efforts that staff and faculty give, restorative justice approaches to solving problems, the “family feel”, athletic options afterschool, Unity class, Puerto Rican Studies and “openness” to students’ culture, the Barrio Arts Culture and Communications Academy afterschool, having their parents involved with security and with serving lunch, and so much more!! It was a wonderful sight to see as the Director of our school, I was extremely proud.