There were 540 more reasons for Natomas Unified to celebrate today.
And we did!
Recent data shows that 540 graduates from last year’s NUSD “Class of 2018” have enrolled in 83 colleges or universities. That’s 68% of the graduating class, up 7 percentage points in one year.
To applaud those success stories, NUSD elementary schools held rallies today to spotlight adding new pennants to their current “wall of fame” display representing every college campus attended by former students.
The new pennants read like a “Who’s Who” of post-secondary facilities, big and small, from Pepperdine to UC Davis to Norwich University, UC San Diego, Humboldt State, San Francisco State, Sacramento State, Point Loma Nazarene University, you name it.
Principals also introduced elementary students to the district’s Career Technical Education program, which provides basic industry training in broadcasting, health care, automotive repair, engineering, digital media, and culinary arts and hospitality.
At campus after campus, the message to students was much the same: Think big, work hard, and never waver in getting the education you need to make your dreams come true.
“If there is anything to take from this assembly, it is knowledge – knowledge is power,” Tom Dickinson, NUSD administrator, told American Lakes students.
Dickinson encouraged kids to keep their eye on the ball, always, about college and career. Never lose sight of it. “The more you discuss it, the more you talk about it, the more it becomes a reality,” he said.
American Lakes students were shown a video in which various teachers talked about what college they attended, its mascot, and why they enrolled there.
At Heron, hands jumped up quickly when 7th– and 8th-grade Flyers were asked what jobs they want: “zoologist,” “veterinarian,” “marine biologist,” “teacher,” “therapist,” “paramedic,” “CSI,” “cardiovascular surgeon,” “first woman NBA player” …
Heron Principal Amy Whitten, wearing her “Seattle University” T-shirt, told students that she was the first in her family to attend college. The road to a degree isn’t always easy, she said, but it’s well worth it.
Whitten told her students that she believed in them, truly appreciated their individual gifts, and is confident that they will have a major impact on their community and beyond in years to come.
At Witter Ranch Elementary, Principal Patrick Birdsong displayed NUSD’s Board-approved Vision that, “All NUSD students graduate as college and career ready, productive, responsible, and engaged global citizens.”
Birdsong said college and career readiness means that “no matter what you do, you’re prepared to succeed.”
At an H. Allen Hight Elementary School assembly, students lined up to display handmade pennants of the college they want to attend.
“I want to go to Duke,” one student said, “because it is big and has great professors. It also has a great Division 1 basketball team.”
After showing students the video about NUSD’s Career Technical program, Principal Jason Manviller asked the assembled Cheetahs if there was anything in the video that interested or excited them.
“I like how they teach you about the human body — I want to be a nurse when I grow up,” one student said.
“I’m interested in cooking classes at Discovery High School,” another said.
NUSD launched elementary school college-pennant rallies in October and plans to make them an annual tradition, celebrating graduates’ success and promoting college and career readiness.
