Students, Community Leaders Gather to Celebrate the School’s Academic Achievement
September 26, 2018 – Miami Dade County, FL – On a sunny afternoon, just before dismissal, students at the City of Hialeah Educational Academy gathered in the school’s courtyard. Packed shoulder-to-shoulder, the students cheered as music played and their Principal Carlos Alvarez took the stage. “Do you know what we’re celebrating today?” he asked the student body. A roaring “We’re an A!” was the response from the enthusiastic crowd.
The event was an opportunity to celebrate that students at this public charter middle-high school had earned high marks on the 2017-18 state assessment exams and had raised the school’s overall grade to an A. Several community leaders, local elected officials, and state lawmakers were on-hand to congratulate students and teachers — including State Representatives Manny Diaz, Jr. and Speaker pro tempore Representative Jeanette Nuñez. The city of Hialeah Council members are the school’s governing board — Council members Isis Garcia-Martinez and Raul B. Hernandez were special guests at the event. During the ceremony, State Rep.Diaz, Jr. congratulated the faculty and students, encouraged them to keep working hard, and presented them with an A+ flag.
A Title 1 school, the City of Hialeah of Education Academy (COHEA) offers students a college prep curriculum within several career-oriented academies, that include Criminal Justice, Forensic Science, First Responder and Firefighting, Mass Communications, Law, and Education. The program has been incredibly successful — not only earning high marks but also launching a vibrant dual enrollment program that gives students access to college-level courses while in high school. Last May, several seniors graduated from COHEA have already earned their 2-year college degree. Mr. Alvarez and his team have received national recognition for their success in raising student achievement, especially among low income minority students. US News & World Report, Newsweek, and the Washington Post have all listed COHEA among the best schools in America; and in 2017, Alvarez was name Florida Tax Watch Principal of the Year, a prestigious principal leadership award.
The City of Hialeah of Education Academy was created by municipal leaders who were concerned about the low high school graduation rate among students in their community and also their desire to develop an interest in civil service among its younger residents. Clearly, city leaders were on the right track. COHEA students are getting high marks and the schools’ alumni include college grads, teachers, first responders, law enforcement, US service men and women, and future community leaders. This is something we can all be proud of.
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Media Contact: Lynn Norman-Teck, Lynn@flcharteralliance.org