A Philadelphia School District Success Story – 400 “Second Chance” students graduate from Camelot’s anti- drop out, accelerated high schools

(Philadelphia,PA – June 14, 2013)

More than 400 students who had either dropped out or were at high risk of dropping out received their diplomas today in graduation ceremonies for Philadelphia’s Camelot Schools, held at the Liacouras Center.

The majority of the graduates – 356 – are from Camelot’s two Philadelphia accelerated high schools. More than 98% of those graduates have been accepted into post-secondary programs, two or four-year colleges and vocational schools. The remaining graduates are from Camelot’s transitional program, Camelot Academy, which focuses on returning students to their sending school and a small program called Wynnefield Academy, which serves students with emotional and other challenges.

“The accelerated high school program was and is so badly needed in Philadelphia,” said Camelot CEO Todd Bock. “Working with vulnerable students is what motivates us. We become their second family and in some cases, their first family. Seeing these great kids walk down the aisle and most moving forward to post-secondary schools makes our work extremely fulfilling,” Bock said.

Camelot’s partnership with the School District of Philadelphia has been a true success story. With about half the district’s students failing to graduate high school, the district contracted with Camelot in 2004 to operate the city’s first accelerated high school, Excel Academy in Northeast Philadelphia. Achievement was so high that the district asked Camelot to open a second accelerated high school. In the ensuing years, other providers began smaller programs as part of the district’s efforts to keep more students in school.

“If it was not for this program we would still be struggling to complete our high school education somewhere else,” said Shakur Robinson, who graduated from Camelot’s Excel Academy North. “Before this accelerated program we were all cutting school or not doing what we were supposed to be doing. Excel Academy changed my perspective about school.”

Andrew Walden had attended Central High and Northeast High before enrolling at Excel Academy South. “The day I started at Excel, everything was so different than what I was used to. No one was hanging out in the bathroom or hallways. All of the staff made it their job to get to know me. It was actually kind of annoying, but before long I got used to it. Excel helped me become who I am today,” Walden said.

Camelot Alumni also addressed the audience. One of them, Sol-Angie Pena-Felix, a graduate of Excel South, talked about how she overcame cancer to complete her degree in 2012 with the love and support she received from staff and teachers, and is now training to be a medical assistant. “Camelot changed my life,” she said.

The Philadelphia School District’s partnership with Camelot began in 2003 at the Daniel Boone Academy, a transitional school in North Philadelphia for students with behavioral problems. Daniel Boone is now called Camelot Academy.

Mikeya Smalls of Camelot Academy told the graduates she was motivated by her baby daughter who made her look at life a little differently. “We are the ones who were never supposed to make it, right? I know some of you sitting here today at one point in life have heard that,” she said “Well, here we stand!”