Meet Some Great Graduates
When you’re working toward the goal of graduating, it may sometimes seem like you’ll never get there. But there is a light at the end of the tunnel if you stay determined.
Hundreds of DCCCD students crossed the stage at commencement ceremonies earlier this month. To inspire you, here are the stories of just a few of them.
 Karla Ceballos
Karla Ceballos, a Rising Star student, started taking Dual Credit classes at Brookhaven while she was still a senior at W.T. White High School. She spent two years as a full-time student at BHC while working at two part-time jobs. Last week, she graduated with an Associate in Arts degree.
“I don’t know how I did it!” Karla says with a laugh.
Not only did she work and go to school; she also participated in extracurricular activities. For example, for one of her classes, Karla had to complete 15 hours as a volunteer with Brookhaven Reads, a tutoring program. But she enjoyed the experience so much that she volunteered more than 40 hours.
In the fall, Karla will transfer to UNT-Denton, where she plans to study elementary education. Karla speaks Spanish and would like to become a bilingual or ESL teacher. (That’s a hot career choice, by the way. A recent Dallas Morning News article noted that bilingual teachers are in high demand in North Texas and can earn impressive starting salaries and signing bonuses.)
“I got recommendations for the scholarships I applied for at UTD from the people I worked with through Brookhaven Reads,” Karla says. “When I volunteered, I did it because I loved it, and I didn’t even know I was interested in a related field. So it helped me in a way I didn’t expect.”
According to Karla, good time management skills are key to making it to graduation.
“If you want to graduate, you have to be determined,” she says. “It may take time, but it’s OK if you can only take one or two classes a semester. Before you know it, you’ll graduate!”
Gustavo Angulo and Taylor Rodriguez
Two Middle College High School students at El Centro College have achieved something that’s pretty unusual. They graduated with associate degrees from El Centro on May 4, but they won’t graduate from high school until May 31!
Gustavo Angulo and Taylor Rodriguez planned carefully so the college credits they earned would transfer to four-year universities. This fall, Gustavo will enter Baylor University and major in biochemistry. Taylor will attend Southern Methodist University and major in business management and financing.
Both students say the Middle College High School’s flexible schedule and the encouragement of their teachers and principal Leicha Shaver made their success possible.
 Will Smith
Although Will Smith won’t technically graduate from DCCCD, he’s achieved something just as impressive after three years at Brookhaven. Will is transferring to the Rhode Island School of Design – a highly respected fine arts institution – with a $35,000 scholarship.
Will, a graduate of Dallas’ Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, earned the merit-based scholarship to Rhode Island School of Design based on three drawing assignments he completed as part of the application process, as well as his portfolio.
“Attending DCCCD helped me tremendously,” Will says. “It gave me an opportunity to find myself as an artist. Now I can go on to a major university to pursue my art, and I’ll be a stronger student than I would have been if I had gone there straight after high school.”
Although Will is excited about his future, leaving Brookhaven is a little bittersweet, he says. “I’ve formed relationships with my professors here, and it’s kind of tough leaving. But everyone knew this day would come.”
When the going gets tough, Will says, “keep your goals in mind. Going to college can be hard sometimes, but if you keep your eye on your goals, you can achieve them.”
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