DA Seth Williams Shares his Own Failures with "Second Chance" ASPIRA Excel Academy Students as they Prepare to Graduate

DA Seth Williams Shares his Own Failures with “Second Chance” ASPIRA Excel Academy Students as they Prepare to Graduate

Posted May 3, 2012

(Philadelphia – May 3, 2012)

“What is the number one thing people who get arrested share in common in Philadelphia?” asked DA Seth Williams for a second time to a group of ASPIRA Excel Academy “second chance” Olney Charter High School students. The students all replied together, “They didn’t finish high school.”

65 of those ASPIRA Excel Academy students will be graduating on June 11th from Olney Charter High School. They will be the first graduating class of the Olney, ASPIRA and Camelot partnership which was formed to get off-track students back in school and on the path to graduation, post-secondary and beyond.

And what of the other 74 students in the school? They are all set to graduate next year.

District Attorney Seth Williams spent Thursday afternoon with the students discussing everything that can happen after high school graduation if you stay out of trouble with the law. “Life is yours” Williams said to the group – find out what you like that can pay your bills, and do that. Williams quoted Mark Twain, “Make your vacation your vocation.”

The real story that resonated with the students was Williams’ own path to success – which included the same adversities that many of the students at ASPIRA Excel Academy face. Williams explained that he ‘failed’ many times- He had to redo kindergarten for talking too much, he had to take summer school in high school, he was sent home from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point after failing math and science classes – but he told the students that his experience showed that failing does not make you a failure, you can never give up.

Sadiqa Lucas, Executive Director of Aspira Excel Academy said, “I think our students found DA Seth Williams’ remarks inspirational and insightful. Students could easily identify with his life story as he presented it. It lets them know that they too, can succeed.”

ASPIRA Excel Academy is managed by Camelot Schools and is a partnership with Olney Charter High School. Aspira, knowing of Camelot’s tremendous record of success in turning around second chance students, selected the school as a partner in advancing the educational levels of these at risk students. Camelot is Philadelphia’s leading alternative education provider and also programs in Lancaster, Camden, Trenton, Florida and Illinois.