In the Spring of 2019, the London City School District published its Portrait of a Graduate, which highlights the key skills and attitudes necessary for district graduates to have success in college and careers. Our district uses the Portrait of a Graduate to help design meaningful teaching and learning experiences for our students.
The following students were recognized during the April Regular Board of Education meeting for substantially demonstrating the district’s Portrait of a Graduate. Congratulations to each of these students!
Bentley Frye - London Middle School (8th Grade)
You may have heard the phrase, "It's not how or where you start, but how or where you finish!" Bentley Frye is an exemplary example of why this phrase exists.
Bentley is in his last year at London Middle and has only sometimes received the positive attention he is receiving today. For most of his middle school career, Bentley was a student flying under the radar, but by the start of his 8th-grade year, he was at risk academically and behaviorally.
I cannot tell you the day or time when Bentley had enough, but I can remember a vulnerable student ready for true transformation. This transformation happened when Bentley opened up to the administration one day in the second quarter. Bentley discussed everything holding him back and disclosed how he had been embarrassed with his grades and behavior at school and at home. He asked me for help in becoming a better person and student.
Since that conversation, Bentley has taken the initiative to improve his grades and his attitude at school. During this process, he has communicated effectively with his administrators, adapted to improve his academics and behavior, improved his grades, and proven to be an effective problem-solver. Most importantly, however, Bentley has shown respect for himself and others. Because of this initiative, both his academics and behavior have improved significantly.
I am very proud to recognize Bentley Frye as this month's Portrait of a Graduate for London Middle School because it's not just how or where you start, but more importantly, how or where you finish.
Haylee Ross - London Unlimited (12th Grade)
Haylee Ross exemplifies the qualities of a Portrait of a Graduate, including effective communication, critical and creative thinking, problem-solving skills, respect for self and others, flexibility, and adaptability. Despite facing challenges, she demonstrated resilience, determination, and hard work to overcome obstacles and achieve her academic goals.
Haylee is a senior who has had her fair share of challenges in high school. Due to various reasons, she found herself credit deficient and struggled to keep up with her classmates. However, she refused to let these setbacks define her, and instead, she took advantage of the London Unlimited program to recover the credits she needed to graduate with her class. This program allowed her to take courses online and at her own pace, which gave her the flexibility she needed to balance her coursework with other responsibilities. Her dedication and hard work paid off, and she successfully recovered the credits she needed to graduate on time.
Despite facing obstacles, Haylee has shown a strong commitment to her education and career aspirations. In addition to participating in the London Unlimited program, she is also involved in the Employability internship course, which gives students real-world experience in the workforce. Her passion for education is evident in her future career goals, as she hopes to go into education one day. With her determination and drive, there is no doubt that she will be successful in achieving her dreams and making a positive impact on the lives of her students.
Hayden Mans - London High School (12th Grade)
London High School proudly announces Hayden Mans as the Portrait of a Graduate recipient for April.
Hayden is an LHS senior with a 4.03 GPA and ranks 12th in his class. He has been very involved with the marching band and was part of the group that helped lead the band to a Superior Rating at the state competition this past fall. Hayden has taken advantage of the LHS STEM program by participating in Biomedical Science courses. Taking these courses has helped Hayden explore many career paths in science, which he hopes to use in the future. Hayden decided to branch out with extracurricular activities and join the winter guard, where the squad finished second in the Class at the state championships.
Hayden exemplifies the Portrait of a Graduate by doing very well in school and exploring the different opportunities in and out of the classroom that LHS offers. Hayden is a very polite individual, respectful of himself and others, and has taken advantage of the College Credit Plus offerings in College Composition to become an effective communicator. Hayden’s future plans include attending Wright State University majoring in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.