Our Graduation Specialists are making a difference in the lives of students! Funded by the Federal CARES Act III Grant, the roles were added to our team during the 2021-2022 school year with the goal to improve graduation rates within each high school.

To achieve that goal, the Graduation Specialists identify students who are at risk of not graduating high school and/or who are not on track for an on-time graduation. From there, they develop support and interventions for those students. They work with students on individual graduation and achievement plans and connect them with mentors and community organizations to help. Students get education and career plans to guide them to meet academic and graduation goals.

During their first year, our Graduation Specialists worked with more than 300 students and helped guide them to graduation.

Andrew shares what that their guidance includes: "The majority of my work was being a voice of encouragement to the students. A lot of the students I work with do not really see the academic capabilities they actually possess. My main focus was to show them that they could achieve success at school with the right approach. Every week, I would check in with students on my caseload to see how they were doing, make sure they were staying focused on their goals, and encourage them to persevere."

Alyson says, “Working with my kids is an absolute joy. It is incredibly rewarding to build relationships with my students, and then to have the opportunity to become their biggest advocate. Barrow County offers amazing resources, opportunities, and support... all of which enabled me to help students and their families formulate goals, envision a career, and achieve the goal of graduating high school and walking across the 50-yard line! The most fulfilling aspect of my job, however, is experiencing the excitement and dedication my kids expressed once they had a plan and could see a clear path to a more productive school experience.”