Leadership highs support students
I WRITE this letter to respond to the Albuquerque Journal article, “Four low-performing state charter schools turn to APS,” published on Nov. 27. (As) a graduate of Health Leadership High School, (I) disagree that the leadership schools “weaken” the entire charter school sector. A leadership high school gave me — and gives many students like me — a second chance and an opportunity to succeed in life.
I graduated from Health Leadership High School on May 22 when I was 21 years old. Before Health Leadership, I wasn’t in school; I had dropped out to become a mother at 18 years old and a wife. My chances of becoming a high school graduate seemed over until I realized I had another option. Health Leadership High School was there waiting for me to become the successful graduate I am now. These schools deserve more support, not less, because they are an open door to students like me that just need a second chance in life.
I am married and I am raising a child, taking 12 hours at CNM and working more than 20 hours per week as an administrative assistant. I just learned that I earned a B in English 1101 at CNM — and you said I couldn’t read. There are a lot of us that are successful in spite of what you say about our school.
Without schools like the leadership high schools, students would just give up and become nothing in our society. We want to see students succeed and to be focused on something good, instead of just giving up and roaming around the streets, not having a challenge or an opportunity to be in school.
The staff at leadership high schools are people who actually care about students. They are pushing students to be successful and to have a better future. The staff of every leadership school is a blessing in the lives of their students. Not only are they teachers and principals, they are more like a family who know they’ve accomplished their job when we succeed. This is what makes the leadership schools so special. No other system has this support and love given to every student at their school.
The students who graduated with me are hardworking students. Some became mothers at a young age and others dropped out of school, but instead of giving up on their opportunities, the leadership schools found these students and supported them for their future success. These schools support students who everyone else has given up on. These schools support students who need it most. LISET LOZANO Albuquerque