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Winder Barrow High School senior, Candido Juarez, had a fantastic start to his high school career. He earned 10 credits by passing every class and earning two additional Spanish credits through the credit-in-lieu test. Over the next two years, however, he began spiraling downward as he frequently skipped classes, put in minimal effort, intentionally did not complete assignments, and failed classes. Charismatic, polite, likable, and clearly intelligent, Candido found himself in a situation that didn’t match his personality. He was the student teachers loved to have in class, but also became the student that teachers knew wasn’t reaching his full potential. The vast difference in the first year and the next two showed a stark gap in his ability versus performance.
A month into Candido’s senior year, maturation and reality hit: he would have to make a complete 180-degree turn, or graduating on time with his friends would become an impossibility. This realization was the wake-up call that ignited the fire within Candido to make a dramatic turnaround in both his attitude and actions. A meeting with Candido, parents, teachers, counselor, and graduation specialist to discuss a possible plan for graduation was set. An aggressive but achievable plan was devised, allowing him to utilize the credit recovery program. With serious dedication, Candido would be able to make up for the lost ground over the course of this school year.
Almost immediately, Candido began to rise to the challenge. Even with a few weeks of uncertainty about returning to Winder Barrow, he stepped foot back in the halls and started to put in consistent effort, began advocating for himself, and communicated regularly with teachers about assignments and tests that needed to be made up. He sought help with remediation, worked diligently on corrections, and stayed engaged in learning. Little by little, Candido’s effort began to pay off. His grades, plagued by zeros, began to rise steadily. At the halfway mark of the semester, Candido is not only passing every class, but he has also already completed one of his credit recovery courses.
Candido’s senior year is one that reminds us that no matter how far behind we may fall, if we have the right mindset, determination, and team in your corner, it is never too late to turn things around. We are so proud of Candido’s renewed focus and the success that the future holds...the success his teachers always knew he was capable of achieving. Keep working hard. We can’t wait to cheer as you walk across the 50-yard line in May.