ODESSA, Texas — It's understood how important education is in our lives, and while it may seem like high school dropouts don’t see the value of it, that is not the case for all of them.
Ector County ISD recently partnered with Acceleration Academies — a program that offers a different pathway for those trying to get their diploma — diplomas that several students received on Monday.
The graduation ceremony was very special, as young students achieved their goal after taking advantage of a different route for education that worked better for them.
Each of the students had their own story for why a traditional high school path wasn’t possible for them, and one young man shared his.
“We did it, give yourself a pat on the back, we’re here, it’s done," said Marco Salazar, a class of 2023 graduate of Ector County Acceleration Academies.
Salazar served as the keynote speaker for the ceremony, and the former Permian Panther is also an entrepreneur.
“I was doing a business with my older brother in [a] private chef company, and there [were] times when I needed to make 12-hour sauces and I wouldn’t be able to make it to school essentially," said Salazar. "And so, with all this, it honestly changed my life to be able to continue my education and still grow my business at the same time.”
Salazar was one of several who walked a unique stage to secure their diploma. For him, Ector County Acceleration Academies offered flexible scheduling and motivating staff.
“Sometimes I even said ‘I don’t need this, I’m done, I don’t want to do it no more,'" said Salazar. "They’re like ‘Marco, you’re right here, let’s go, come on. Where are you stuck at?’ And, just that itself showed me that, they’re not just here for a paycheck, that they were here to get you to actually graduate.”
Dr. Jennifer Lawson is the Regional Vice President for Acceleration Academies, and she knows Salazar is a perfect example of their program.
“We wanted to be a solution that said ‘We think both are equally important. We want to support your purpose and your passion for your life and your career opportunity, and at the same time, we think you’re perfectly capable to get a high school diploma,'” said Lawson.
The diploma is an ingredient Chef Salazar is grateful to include in his life’s recipe.
“I know the stressful situation of going in between ‘Is it my career or my education?’ and knowing that there’s a possibility that future others might be going through the same situation, to know that Ector County was able to kind of take care of that and like handle that situation themselves, it means the world to me," said Salazar.
Salazar also noted that his diploma gives him a backup plan if his business ventures don’t work out. However, he doesn’t lack confidence, as he mentioned the goal is to expand their company and eventually open a restaurant.