Early Out: While some county teens graduate...
- Share via
Early Out: While some county teens graduate this week, others sit in police custody. But not for long. Crowding will cause a number to get released early (B1). . . . One resource that could help the young offenders doesn’t expect much impact from the exodus. Hard-core kids “would rather stick with the bad influences that are surrounding them,” says Rosa Villa of the Oxnard Boys & Girls Club. “It’s sad, but it’s very true.”
Cyber Youth: Simi Valley and Moorpark have launched municipal Web sites, and both can thank young people. . . . Recent Cal Lutheran graduate Leigh Davis took Simi Valley into cyberspace for free. And Moorpark High junior Jordan Gastwirth helped get Moorpark online for less than $500. “He had just completed a home page as a project at the high school,” City Clerk Lillian Hare says.
A Perfect 12: Kimberly Young, above, is so true to her school that the St. Bonaventure graduate never missed a day of class. In 12 years. She even skipped her brother’s college graduation for the last day of 12th grade. . . . Grads LaTisha Rodriguez of Camarillo High and Brandy Johnson of Channel Islands High also somehow capped a perfect 12 this year. “It’s not just the students by themselves,” Camarillo Assistant Principal Billie Covert said, “but the family that . . . gives them motivation to come every day.”
Imperfect, but Proud: Erica Alva can’t say she never missed a day of school, but she is equally proud of this: She made it through school, period. . . . The 18-year-old mother of one graduated Thursday night from Gateway Community School, four years after being kicked out of Oxnard High. “Gateway gave me a second chance,” she says. . . . Now Alva can pursue a career. “I want to be a probation officer,” she says.
More to Read
Sign up for Essential California
The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.