Brownsville, Texas – October 22, 2020 – The Brownsville Independent School District announces today that Veterans Memorial Early College High School has received a prestigious College Success Award from GreatSchools.org, the nation’s leading nonprofit empowering parents to unlock educational opportunities for their children.
Launched in 2018, the College Success Award honors schools that excel in ensuring students prepare for college, enroll in college, and succeed once they get there. This year, Veterans Memorial Early College High School is among 2,158 award-winning schools from 29 states who have demonstrated a successful track record of graduating students who later enroll in two or four-year college, are ready for college-level coursework, and persist on to their second year, according to available data from each state.
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to threaten the physical and financial health of the nation, BISD is ensuring students graduate with the skills and resources to succeed as postsecondary scholars and productive citizens. College and career-ready graduates are critical to fueling the U.S. economy, as 70 percent of jobs will require a postsecondary degree by 2027. Veterans Memorial is one of 314 schools in Texas to receive this year’s College Success Award.
“We are truly honored to be the recipient of this prestigious accolade for two years in a row,” said Dr. Linda Gallegos, principal of Veterans Memorial Early College High School. “To receive this national recognition from GreatSchools.org, demonstrates the unwavering commitment set forth by our staff to prepare our Charger students for post-secondary success.”
“We thank our parents for entrusting Veterans with their child’s education and for supporting our teachers as they provide rigorous instruction that prepares our students for success in life after high school,” added Gallegos. “To our students & staff, this recognition belongs to you and this award represents all your hard work and long hours of academic engagement. This recognition further legitimizes our belief that it’s important to prepare students to be well rounded and successful not just academically but in life.”
Despite the unprecedented disruptions to the educational landscape this year, Veterans Memorial Early College High School has adopted and upheld many best practices to support their students’ college preparation and success, including and providing access to rigorous academic offerings both within school and extracurricular programs.
The College Success Award is possible because Texas is leading the nation in both collecting and transparently sharing information on how students perform after high school, which is valuable information for families, educators, and policymakers.
“We applaud Veterans Memorial Early College High School for prioritizing high-quality public education, putting students on the path to bright futures,” said Jon Deane, CEO of GreatSchools.org. “Over the past year, students, parents, teachers, and communities have relied on one another like never before. We congratulate and thank all of these individuals at Veterans Memorial Early College High School for their unwavering pursuit of college success for all students.”
Community members can join GreatSchools.org in celebrating BISD and Veterans Memorial Early College High School on social media using #CollegeSuccessAward.
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About GreatSchools: GreatSchools is the leading national nonprofit empowering parents with essential information to improve educational opportunities for their child. Using GreatSchools’ trusted ratings and school quality information, parents can find the right school for their family and take action to improve schools in their communities. Thousands of articles, tips and interactive tools offer parents easy-to-use resources to support their child’s learning and wellbeing every day. Families, community leaders and policymakers turn to GreatSchools for the school information they need to guide children to great futures.
About Brownsville Independent School District: Established in 1915, The Brownsville Independent School District is a public school district whose mission is to graduate students who are prepared to excel in higher education and successfully pursue career opportunities in a changing global society by maximizing resources to ensure equitable opportunities for all students. Recognized for its top-rated performance through the Texas Education Agency, the Brownsville Independent School District is the largest employer in the Rio Grande Valley with 54 schools, 6,458 employees, and 43,028 students. The Brownsville Independent School District provides a broad selection of academic activities and programs for all students that range from Early College High Schools to support programs for students with special needs. Thanks to the support of the local community, the Brownsville Independent School District is The Best Choice with a graduation rate of 93%. For more information, visit www.bisd.us.
