Making Connections Monday: Meet Karla, PRIDE Academy student and education WARRIOR! #BISDconnect #BISDwired

Persistence comes in all shapes and sizes. If you visit PRIDE Academy, persistence looks like nineteen year old Karla Torres. Karla was born in Mexico and moved to Brenham when she was five years old. She attended Krause Elementary School before moving on to Brenham Middle School, Brenham Junior High School, and eventually Brenham High School.

When she was in the ninth grade, Karla found out she was expecting a baby. Although she tried to continue with her studies, the stress of caring for a baby at home and trying to keep up with school work became too much. She withdrew from Brenham High School, but always knew she would find a way to finish her education.

Thankfully, Brenham Independent School District offers a program to help students like Karla who need a flexible school day. PRIDE Academy is an academic alternative campus designed to meet the needs of those students that experience difficulty in a traditional high school setting. PRIDE offers a self paced curriculum using GradPoint software with assistance from certified teachers. Students that are accepted to the academy attend school on a flexible school day calendar.

Most mornings Karla can be found quietly getting ready for school while trying not to wake her two children. With help from her mother and sister, Karla is able to attend PRIDE Academy four hours a day in order to earn enough credits to graduate. If she continues attending PRIDE twenty hours a week, Karla could graduate in May of 2017. “I want to graduate. I want to finish. I will finish,” she said. Karla plans to pursue a career in law enforcement after graduating.

If you are interested in making an application to PRIDE Academy or if you would like additional information, please call (979)277-3890 or contact Principal Michael Watts at mwatts@brenhamk-12.net.