Category: Charters Changing Lives

How a Mesa Charter School Renewed the Hope in its Students’ Lives

While some say Sun Valley High School is a place for “bad kids,” the real story of the school and its students is one of revived hope.

It’s a place where students who were once on the verge of dropping out are now making the honor roll and joining the National Honor Society.

It’s a place where students who were once bullied for their appearance and lifestyle have now found acceptance, gained confidence and overcame anxiety.

Many of these students have been cast aside as they struggled with homelessness, teen parenthood, adjudication, working to support their families or just not being able to adjust to a traditional large high school.

But they’ve now found teachers and staff at their East Valley charter school who push them to succeed, show genuine concern for their lives, and accept all students, no matter their circumstance.

How an East Valley Charter School Inspired One Student to Think Globally

Gala Palavicini arrived in the United States last year hoping to learn how to navigate the college application process so she could attend school in this country.

Although she took important steps towards achieving that goal, her most important lesson occurred while she was enrolled as a high school senior at Paragon Academy, a K-12 public charter school in Chandler.

As a resident of Chandler, a Phoenix suburb, with an international background, Palavicini, 19, was a perfect fit for the school, which has a student body representing more than 15 different countries, including France, Sudan and El Salvador.

However, the school’s diverse population didn’t just allow her to feel more comfortable; it taught her that all students are connected regardless of background or country of origin.

“I never quite understood that there’s a whole world out there that we should learn about,” said Palavicini, who graduated from Paragon in May and still volunteers at the school a couple of times per week. “The good thing about Paragon is we have people from all over the world.”

How one Nogales charter school helped students see their own value.

About 20 years ago, Baltazar “Balty” and Veronika Garcia realized something was amiss in the Nogales community where they both taught high school students.

Many of their students brimmed with potential, but seemed to lack a sense of identity and enough support to push them towards greater possibilities.

The Garcias wanted to change the trajectory of these students’ lives, and knew it had to start in kindergarten.

Arizona’s budding charter school law was in its infancy when the Garcias decided to help improve the outcomes for students on the border, opening Mexicayotl Academy of Excellence in 1998.