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Thursday, March 28, 2024
NEWS  |  SFC

Hawthorne wraps up year, awaits June decision

Hawthorne
Hawthorne

A sheet of paper hangs on the wall in Savannah Fullard's room. Green-, blue- and yellow-colored pencil markings occupy every corner and strike through every class that she completes.

Fullard, a 17-year-old sophomore at Hawthorne Middle High School, said her guidance counselor gave her a list of her graduation requirements and encouraged her to cross off every task she completed.

"I'm still going to have it even after I graduate,” Fullard said. “That sheet of paper changed so much for me."

Fullard knows more than just her GPA hangs in the balance this year. She’s one out of roughly 300 high school students who are at risk of being moved to other schools if they don't bring their grades up. That means Fullard may not walk across the stage at commencement with her classmates in 2019 if the high school doesn't pass with a C grade or higher. The students finished Florida Standards Assessment testing last week, and grades will likely be released during the first week of June.

"If I don't pass this, then I won't be failing only me, I'll be failing everybody," Fullard said.

After Hawthorne received a D grade on its school rating last year, the district brought in Daniel Ferguson as the new principal of Hawthorne Middle High School to execute new instruction strategies and motivate students.

Ferguson partnered with Santa Fe College to offer dual enrollment classes to students, which adds points to the school’s overall score.The district also reintroduced an agriculture program to provide industry certification classes.

Ferguson said he expects about 95 to 97 percent of students to graduate this school year, and he and his administration are confident the school will remain open.

"The whole entire community pitched in," Ferguson said. "The progress of the school impacts the community."

Since reintroducing the agriculture program, 160 students have enrolled and more want to join.

Mike Cassels, a middle-school agriculture teacher, said at 7:15 a.m., there are already 30 students in his classroom talking about agriculture.

"I'd say it's right up there with football at our school,” Cassels said. “We're a small town, ‘Friday Night Lights’ kind of community, but we also have a group of kids who love ag (agriculture)."  

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Two of his students placed first and third in livestock evaluation contests, and Cassels has plans to expand the program.

“It gives them a sense of pride,” Cassels said. “I want to do better, and I want to keep this program running and this school open.”

Blake Moore, an eighth-grader at Hawthorne Middle High School, said he has been part of the 4H program his whole life. Once the school started a Future Farmers of America chapter, he began to participate in the program.

"It's our reason to come to school really," Moore said.

The agriculture program received donations, such as a Ford 2000 tractor, from alumni and community members. Local businesses, nonprofits and churches have provided supplies such as water, snacks, backpacks and paper for students.

Fullard saw an increase in her grades after the changes. She has been one grade level behind her peers but has since enrolled in Florida Virtual School online while attending classes at Hawthorne Middle High so she could catch up.

Fullard said she aspires to be a nurse just like her mother once she graduates. She said the embarrassment she felt realizing she was a grade behind her peers catalyzed her newfound drive to graduate.

"I want to go somewhere in life,” Fullard said. “I want to be successful.”

Follow Alyssa Ramos on Twitter @LysKRamos and contact her at akramos257@ufl.edu.

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