Warner Robins schools combine forces to inspire students

It was a few days before high school graduation here in Houston County that the sounds of “Pomp and Circumstance” could be heard over the loudspeakers at local schools.

No, it wasn’t graduation practice. It was graduation motivation.

Wearing their cap and gowns, the class of 2017 of Warner Robins High School returned to the schools where their journey began in an effort that both celebrated their own achievements and hopefully inspired younger students to follow in their footsteps.

“Together We Learn” was the idea of Warner Robins High School Principal Chris McCook; McCook approached the elementary and middle schools about the idea and received overwhelmingly support.

So on May 19, teachers and students at C.B. Watson, Russell, Pearl Stephens, Miller, Shirley Hills elementary schools and Huntington and Warner Robins middle schools lined the halls as the Warner Robins High School Class of 2017 marched through.

Graduates were cheered and high-fived and many sought out their old teachers for hugs and an opportunity to say “I made it — thank you for your help.”

“It takes all three levels of school together to produce a high school graduate,” McCook said.

In 2016, the graduation rate in Georgia was 79 percent while Houston County school system had an 86 percent graduation rate. Sounds impressive, until you consider that for every 100 students, 14 will not graduate from high school.

“It is something we start preaching about in sixth grade,” said Brett Wallace, principal at Warner Robins Middle School. “A lot of times, here their expectation is simply to pass, worrying about graduation is something to do when you get to high school. We want our students to get to thinking about it now.”

Thinking about graduation now, especially for the eighth graders that will be moving on to Warner Robins High School next year, is crucial in the journey to receive a diploma.

Ninth grade, according to Wallace and McCook, is a pivotal year; a child that struggles and falls behind in ninth grade is very likely to become part of that 14 percent.

“If we can get them to 10th grade, the chances for graduation increase dramatically,” McCook said.

At Warner Robins Middle School, Wallace and his staff have loosen things up for the eighth grade.

“It can be a shock — going from all the rules of middle school to the freedom in ninth grade. We have tried to find a balance for our eighth-graders that will ensure a successful ninth-grader,” said Wallace.

That includes plenty of conversations at Warner Robins Middle School about the end of the journey.

“We wanted to show them an image, give them a visual to believe in,” Wallace said.

Those conversations extend to the staff as well. In one meeting at Warner Robins Middle School, Wallace flashed pictures of his own staff’s children on a screen and asked which 14 were not going to graduate from high school.

Warner Robins Middle School extended the celebration of graduation and held their own pep rally of sorts later that afternoon. Wallace spoke to his eighth-graders and then introduced Marquez Callaway, a Warner Robins Middle School alum who currently attends the University of Tennessee where he plays football for the Volunteers.

“When I look back, it was the relationships I built. All the teachers here pushed me and they always treated me with the same respect I showed them and I took that to the high school and my teachers there treated me with respect. That’s what I want you to take away from this today and from Warner Robins Middle, respect for yourselves and for your teachers,” Callaway said.

As part of their campaign to inspire students to start thinking about graduation, “Class of” signs hang in each hallway at Warner Robins Middle School. The Class of 2021 sign was removed and at the pep rally, eighth-graders signed it.

“We want them to come back here in four years in their cap and gowns and find their names on the sign,” Wallace said.

Although the events and activities of the day were geared to inspire elementary and middle school students, both McCook and Wallace said the day was about reflection as well.

“Our seniors got to see their former teachers and give them a hug or say thanks. There were plenty of tears flowing as our elementary and middle school teachers were reminded that they do share in this graduation, they are as much a part of it as any high school teacher,” said McCook.

“Together we learn,” Wallace said. “Elementary, primary, middle, high, home. All of us together working for that ultimate goal of 100 percent graduation.”

This story was originally published June 10, 2017 at 10:23 AM with the headline "Warner Robins schools combine forces to inspire students."