Episode 5 | 5m 14s | Video has closed captioning.
Washington Heights Expeditionary Learning School, called “WHEELS,” graduates its 98% Latino students at far higher rates than other schools in New York City. See the enthusiasm and commitment that drives the teachers and the students in this innovative and successful program. Produced by Patricia Benabe & David Alvarado, Rayuela Films for the CPB/PBS Producers Workshop Collection
Aired: 08/18/13
STUDENT: How do you find the slope?
KARINA CABRERA: The slope is the number that's next to the variable.
I always remember it.
Ever since Mr. Kimmel went to my elementary school to talk about WHEELS, I just saw myself in the school already.
BRETT KIMMEL: Our school is Washington Heights Expeditionary Learning School, so we abbreviate and call ourselves WHEELS.
Our students are graduating at levels that far exceed their peers, both in New York State and across the country.
U.S. history and integrated... KIMMEL: We're 98% Latino.
And in New York State, about 56% of Latino students are graduating high school.
We're up at about 80% of our students are graduating high school.
TEACHER: That's actually pretty good!
You got 24 questions right.
That's really good.
KARINA: What I really like about WHEELS is how small it is.
TEACHER: So, you always get the linear by itself... RANDY MARTÍNEZ: Some friends at other high schools, they don't even know their teachers.
Or, everyday they meet new people in the hallwa that they've been in school with for two years.
That's awesome!
KIMMEL: New York City is the largest school district in the country.
Because of that, New York City had some of the largest high schools.
Huge high schools-- 4,000-, 5,000-, 6,000-student high schools.
But in such a large place, being a number, falling through the cracks, not getting the supports that students need, is oftentimes the lack of solid relationships between students and faculty.
- They can make more profit... - Who is they?
- The United States.
- Nice.
That led to the development of WHEELS.
When's your U.S. history regents?
Wednesday.
The idea of WHEELS is that every student is really known for who they are.
And once we know who they are, then we're able to help them more to reach their goals.
From more acidic to something that's less acidic.
STUDENT: This one I still don't understand.
THOMAS: Well, it's logarithmic, so it has to be... And one of the goals of all the kids that come in is that they want to graduate from high school and then move beyond into college and graduate from college as well.
(students conversing) KIMMEL: 90% of our students are first-generation college students, meaning that previous folks in their famil have not gone to college.
We've created a ritual in which our kids march from our school to the local post office with their college applications in hand, to mail out those applications to say, "I might be Latino, I might be from a low-income family, "the research suggests that only 8% of us "are going to graduate college.
I'm going to change that."
I was there, cheering them on with my fellow classmates.
It was really inspiring, because they told me, one day there is going to be freshmen cheering on for me.
(playing "Oye Como Va") It's the last day of school and everyone is so excited.
The buzz is just about graduation.
These are friends and these are people that live in your building.
So it gives you that sense of hope that if they did it, you can do it, too.
(band playing "Pomp and Circumstance") KARINA: I can't wait until I walk across the stage and get my diploma, because, like, then it's official that I'm going to college.
ANNOUNCER: Karina Cabrera.
(cheers and applause) Congratulations.
Don't forget your diploma!
(laughing) THOMAS: If we can find what they want and what they need, and show them that they are not just one kid in the school, they are their actual individual person, once they feel that respect, it makes them want to fight for themselves as well.
KIMMEL: I hereby certify you as graduates of the Washington Heights Expeditionary Learning School.
Congratulations!
(cheers and applause) Where's Papi and Mami?
KARINA: WHEELS prepared me for college.
It's a big step for me and a big step for my parents.
(mother speaking Spanish) KARINA: I'm first generation... ...that graduates high school and goes to college.
Congrats, Sister!
KIMMEL: 90% of our graduates are completing their first year in college, whereas only eight percent of kids from families like ours are graduating college nationally.
We want all of our kids to succeed.
