East Campus concluded a week of congratulations as 80 PreK and 15 fifth graders received their diplomas in campus ceremonies Thursday.
Then all the students throughout the district were treated with early dismissal that ends the 2012-13 school year. For some, however, summer school begins on Monday, June 10, and continues through June 28.
Parents and relatives of the younger graduates packed the auditorium and were treated to poems, song, dance and slide shows before Dr. M. Annette Cluff, Varnett’s superintendent, presented the diplomas. Dr. Cluff praised them, their parents and staff for the overall academic performance of the PreK students and thanked everybody for all their support.
The ceremony for the 5th graders, although before a much smaller audience, was no less significant. Dr. Cluff announced that 100 percent of the students passed their reading and math exams and 95 percent passed science. Special thanks were given to teachers, instructional staff, parents, Greta Peacock, the district’s 3rd through 5th grade curriculum coordinator; Melissa Cluff, the district’s PreK curriculum coordinator; 5th grade teacher Ilesia Wyatt and Dr. Cluff.
Jacequeline Saucedo was honored as Valedictorian and Ariana Corrales as Salutatorian. Near the end, the students – many of them who were crying with joy – presented Ms. Wyatt with flowers.
The fifth graders were each given the Seventh Edition of Who’s Who in Black Houston, a source of successful people whom the students may choose to emulate.
Dr. Cluff thanked the parents for making Varnett the school of choice for their children.