YouthBuild Philadelphia Charter School welcomes students back to class
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- YouthBuild Philadelphia Charter School welcomes students and their families back to school Friday. The day kicked off with a parade, and this year, the charter school has a few new things to celebrate.
Students did not just head to class on the first day Friday, but they marched into the building with excitement.
YouthBuild Philadelphia Charter School takes over Broad Street every year, and this year is no different.
Meet YouthBuild Philadelphia Charter School's newest CEO, Le'Yondo Dunn.
Dunn is the first Black CEO in the school's 32-year history. Although the new CEO is excited about his new role, he's even more excited about meeting the incoming class. He says the first day of school is just as important as the last day of class.
"We have the young people that have been in other high school settings in which they feel teachers and staff members did not see them for their true and authentic selves," he said.
"We have young people who are expecting or recent teen parents. We have young people that have been in court-involved youth. We have young people who are in constant transient, and they are constantly moving around," Dunn said. "It brings me both a sense of pride and I also feel a great sense of responsibility to our young people."
More than 275 students between the ages of 17 and 21 marched on North Broad Street and end at the Marriott Downtown, where the class of 2024 acceptance ceremony was held. This is also the final step in the YouthBuild application.
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The charter school provides students with the resources to earn a high school diploma and trade certification.
"It's really important because it's really taking a moment to celebrate our students, to celebrate how far they've come," math teacher Christina Neilson said. "A lot of them were not successful where they were, and it's just giving them an opportunity for us not only to celebrate them but for them to celebrate themselves as they take this first step in reclaiming their education."
Neilson is also a college-access teacher, which means she helps provide students with support and resources if they're interested in higher education.
As in every year it's become a tradition that students march to class and the Friday march with a band went underway at 9:45 a.m.