Pride Wall: Options Academy Graduates 2024. (Photo courtesy of Amanda Dvorak)
Hundreds of students in caps and gowns lined up for the graduation procession in Des Moines on May 24. But this was not a traditional graduation. And the students who participated did not have a traditional high school experience.
Two hundred of Options Academy’s 299 graduating students donned black caps and gowns and were joined by proud families at Hoyt Sherman Place. “We don’t practice: kids show up, if they pick up their cap and gown great, if not, we deliver it to them that day,” explains Amanda Dvorak, associate director of Alternative Programs for Des Moines Public Schools. “We like Hoyt Sherman because it’s not the same as the Knapp Center. Anyway, they haven’t had the same experience, so we can do it our way. “It’s one last chance to give them something special.”
Options Academy offers a way for students to graduate from high school when traditional school is not the right fit. Jeanette Gines is one of those students. She is one exam away from graduating and dreams of cosmetology school and one day owning her own business. She also has dreams for her unborn child. “I want to be the best mother for her, set an example for her and show her how to be a nice young woman. I want to see her finish school and run her business, and I will support her in anything.”
Ginés discovered that the traditional school route did not meet her needs. “There was a lot of distraction, the teachers were good, but I didn’t get the help I needed. I found out about Options because my sister went there and I heard her talk about it.”
The Des Moines Independent Community School District has a dropout rate of 4.9 per 10,000 students, compared to 2.2 statewide. For those with low socioeconomic status, this rate increases to 5.49. Graduation rates in the Des Moines area are 72%, 15 percentage points below the state graduation rate.
Dvorak describes the challenges Options Academy students are overcoming in order to graduate. “We have young moms and dads, we have kids who don’t have parents, kids involved in the justice system trying to find a way out. “I could tell stories about any child.” She attributes her success to the relationships she has with her students. “We have one hallway in a building and eight classrooms. It’s small, everyone knows everyone, the teachers know all their kids, they know everything about their kids. Success case managers are phenomenal. They provide everything non-academic.”
And nonacademic needs abound in the metropolitan area. Rates of food insecurity and homelessness have increased, and Des Moines has very high levels of English language learners, students with disabilities, and students with low socioeconomic status. Transportation is also a huge barrier. “Our current location is on the south side,” Dvorak explained, “attendance is the number one barrier; chronic absenteeism is the biggest obstacle we must overcome.” Options and other public schools pool grants to remove barriers in areas that district funds cannot cover.
The school has a counselor who also helps children find their path after graduation, from applying for financial aid, completing post-secondary education applications, and connecting students with job resources. Gines describes the support of all the staff and teachers: “They push you a lot, they send you messages encouraging you, they reach out to make sure everything is okay. “They really want you to graduate.”
“Our motto is that every child has a new day, so if today is not your day, let’s try again tomorrow.” Dvorak loves his work and is passionate about providing children with all the opportunities they need. But she also has some difficult days. “After the shooting (at Starts Right Here), we made plans to welcome students to the space. It turns out that we cannot serve them, only virtually due to our participation in the court. I know it was the right decision by the district; “It just didn’t feel right in my heart.” She also described the loss of a student last year. “Those are always the worst days.”
Dvorak says the good days far outweigh the bad and that he loves what he does. The joy in his voice was infectious as he described the young man he had been working with for over a year. “He has gone down 3 or 4 times, he comes back and passes a test, he advances a little more. Then he goes through life and needs a break.” He has worked full time at a job that he enjoys and will continue after high school. And on May 16 he passed his final exam. “He finally did it! I know his boss; “Once he was done, he would receive a raise.”
Dvorak wants everyone to believe that each and every child deserves a second chance. And sometimes a third or a fourth. Options Academy has a waiting list of 150 students. They will open a second location in the fall, but emphasize that they will continue to provide students with the same level of personalized attention while increasing enrollment. She wants to dispel misconceptions about her children. “(People believe) that they don’t care. They do. They are not lazy. They just don’t know how to connect to school. Traditional school didn’t work for them. And now we’re trying to figure out how to connect them to the school and how to make it work. They really do. “They’re just looking for hope.” She pauses. “And their parents care. “We have parents who want their children to succeed, but they don’t know how.”
Ginés is happy with her experience and her opportunity to have a better future. “Every day I am greeted by amazing teachers and a great lunch. You can ask whatever you want as many times as you want. It makes you want to go back (to school) every day.”
I hope we can all learn to give all Iowa children another chance to succeed.
If you would like to support Options Academy students, you can contact:
Options Academy
C/O Amanda Dvorak
1000 Porter Ave
Des Moines, IA 50315
Chris Espersen is a Gazette editorial staff member. chris.espersen@thegazette.com
Opinion content represents the views of the author or The Gazette editorial board. You can join the conversation by sending a letter to the editor or guest column or suggesting a topic for an editorial to editorial@thegazette.com
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