Photo via: Ballou High School
They did it! Frank W. Ballou High School's entire senior class has been accepted into college. According to Washington D.C.'s local news, WUSA9, "it's a first for the Southeast, D.C. public school."
The high school's class of 2017 first made school history in March, when it was reported that for the first time ever, every single senior had applied to college. Since then, all 189 seniors have been accepted into at least one college.
On Tuesday, 170 students proudly crossed the stage to receive their diplomas. They had a whole lot to celebrate, as the students overcame the naysayers, the condition of their neighborhood, and once having the second lowest city public high school graduation rate, to become the school's first entire senior class to apply and be accepted to college.
They defied odds and now they're celebrating. 100% of our graduates has at least 1 college acceptance letter - @balloudc Principal @wusa9 pic.twitter.com/H2er4e6gt1
— Stephanie Ramirez (@RamirezReports) June 13, 2017
"Stop underestimating us," said Me’Ashja Hamilton, who plans to attend Florida's Bethune Cookman University. "You just have to give them a chance. The opportunity to do better and you will so that a lot of students in Southeast in particular can do great things."
The remainder of the students are set to receive their diplomas in December.
We knew you all could do it! Keep dreaming big and reaching higher!