Northeast students make commitment to graduate

Committing to graduate has been a major theme for Northeast High School for several years, and the classes of 2017 and 2018 joined that cause with a ceremony Thursday.

Those classes gathered in the school's gym, where they heard from school and district leaders about the importance of commitment.

"Commit to graduate, and reach next to you and ask that person to commit as well," said Janice Flowers, director of the GEAR UP program for Bibb County schools.

GEAR UP is a seven-year grant that is currently serving those two classes across Bibb County schools and have done so since the grant began in 2011, when those students were in middle school.

During that same time, graduation rates at Northeast High School have overcome a slight dip in 2012 to rise from 51 percent in 2011 to 70 percent in 2015. The school had the second-highest graduation rate in Bibb County in 2014, when it posted a four-year rate of 65 percent.

"Our goal is 90 percent, so if we're heading that direction, we're doing great," Flowers said.

The students also heard from Macon native Vinson Muhammad. A Morehouse College graduate, Muhammad has opened for acts like James Brown and Snoop Dogg as a performing artist.

Muhammad urged the students to pursue their talents but to also keep their minds open to other activities and learning opportunities down the road.

"Don't limit yourself to what someone says your major is or what your destiny is," he said.

In addition to talking about the benefits of staying the course for high school graduation, Muhammad discussed what going to college meant for him. He said post-secondary education was about more than what he learned in the classroom for his business administration degree.

"The beautiful thing about college is you come together with people who are trying to be successful just like you," he said.

Muhammad went to school in east Macon, and he said it was good to see kids who grew up in that same area making a commitment to finish school.

"It's beautiful to see the development that's going on right now," he said.

The message, which was accompanied by a performance of Muhammad's rap song "Choosing," was received well by the engaged group of sophomores and juniors. Jaylen Freeman, president of the class of 2018, was among them and said the program emphasized how important it is for him to graduate and fill a role in his community.

He said he was aiming for a career as a neurosurgeon because of the ability to help people while using math and science, his favorite subjects.

"It makes me feel that I have the support I can rely on and I have people believing in me," he said of the ceremony.

To contact writer Jeremy Timmerman, call 744-4331 or find him on Twitter@MTJTimm.

This story was originally published December 3, 2015 at 11:50 AM with the headline "Northeast students make commitment to graduate ."