HAMPTON, Va. (WAVY) –Thousands of students in Hampton are seeing the future.
More than 1,000 Hampton students gathered at the Hampton Coliseum to graduate on Wednesday. Well, sort of.
These students are currently freshman, but that’s not stopping them from taking the next step.
Jeffery Smith is the Superintendent of Hampton City Schools, and he says this commitment to graduation ceremony is making changes in the community.
“It’s important for young people to be able to see the future,” said Smith.
Together, more than 1,500 students are committing to graduating in four years.Hampton City schools faculty, staff, parents, businesses are pledging their support through mentoring students in their journey to becoming invested community members. Right now, according to the superintendent, 96 percent of students graduate Hampton High schools.
“We expect that 100 percent of our young people will graduate on time and we have a responsibility to ensure that we support them along the way as it relates to their journey,” said Smith.
Veronica Hurt is the Director for Academies of Hampton and a mother to a freshman student.
“As a community, we are here to tell our young people that we are all on this journey together,” said Hurd
Her son, Emerson is committed to getting his diploma.
Chloe Howell is one of those students who is committed graduating. She aspires to head to medical school after graduation.
“I aspire to become an OBGYN and open my open practice,” said Howell. “It’s hard to be a teenager and expected to do as many things as we are doing now and the support system is what we really need and I think today really helped a lot of students.”
