Roxanne Psa New York State Senator from Brooklyn would like to
recognize two of the leaders of tomorrow.
These two students have demonstrated commitment in seeking
academic excellence.
Their dedication is reflective in the community,
their school and their families.
They will each receive a Senate resolution rec recognizing these
notable accomplishments.
So can please congratulate our two recipients,
Natanya Brown and Kamara Smith.
Yeah, you got uh are they either one here?
Yeah, they're both here. Come up.
Everyone looks so different. So congratulations.
And the next person up is # two, Miss Kristen.
Good morning everyone. Good morning graduates.
Good morning families. Great, seeing everyone.
So the role of honors citations awards to students who have
demonstrated excellence in scholarship, sports, journalism,
leadership attendance or the arts.
This year's recipients are Ashanti Tisdale Diamond Reed.
natanya Brown Samba.
So Patrick Lavelle Camara Smith and Italy Morales.
Come on up and receive your awards guys.
Ok.
And the next awards that will be presented is the Richard
Welling certificate by Miss Heath.
Good morning everyone.
Um, we're gonna actually take a little turn.
Our guest speaker is here. Um, this person means a lot to me.
She started here when the school first opened in 2008. Um,
she did what she had to do a lot like a lot of students who come
here, you know, over age,
under credit and she came in full force and turned it around and
she did graduate in 2010 and I just wanted her to come up and
share her story, her journey because it's not,
you came here to metro wanting to do something and you did it
now. what are you gonna do next?
And it's OK that bumps may happen,
but there's still a path for each and every one of you.
So I wanted to bring a former student up here to just kind of
hear,
hear her journey and for you to understand that you all have
your own journey and your own purpose in life.
So I would like to welcome you uh a graduate, John,
Um I kind of had something written down but I don't think I'm
gonna do it. I'm gonna do it.
Well, you know what, I'm not gonna do it. All right.
Well, 2008, I started here.
I had probably like six credits when I first came here.
I graduated 2010.
But honestly, the school was probably like the best school.
Well, I went to two schools.
It's like the best school I probably came to M Heath.
That's since then. But after here I went to college for about,
I went for two years, two years. I want to be a teacher.
Like the whole time I was like, I'm gonna be a teacher,
let be a teacher. I'm gonna come back. I'm gonna work here.
That's what they said.
You get your stuff, you come back, you work here.
But like I went away and the loans, it was,
it was crazy like I couldn't pay it back.
I couldn't pay it back.
I was just I was a, a for like five years making $12 an hour.
So I'm like, yo, how am I?
I'm gonna talk to you guys how I talk to my friends because I'm
not gonna do the professional thing.
So you can really like, you know, be at my level.
So I went away two years, had mad loans, came back, was working,
working, working, working, but it wasn't enough for me.
So I'm like, yo, what, what else can I do besides other stuff?
Like I can't do other stuff. So what am I gonna do?
It's gonna get me bread. So I'm like, what else do I like to do?
That's not required at school. So I like doing construction.
I like carpentry. I like electrical. I like stuff like that.
So I look, I looked on Google, I found something like, you know,
women in construction. Can I get into that? Can I do that?
So I did a program it was about Three months,
the program was three months. They got me in the Union.
So now what that was like three years later, I make 35 an hour.
So I'm just letting you know school is not the only option I
tell you don't go to school. I'm not saying that.
But what I'm saying is if you really like something,
regardless if you're a male or a female,
just do it if you want to do a trade, do that right now.
Trades are making mad money. So just let you know boys,
they got an opening coming up for labor,
July 23rd on a Friday do that. You gotta be 18, do that.
A lot of tests coming out do that.
So don't think that, you know,
I know your mom how you forced you to go to school,
go to school because mine was too.
She told me, don't do construction, don't do that.
I don't want you in that. But honestly, it's, it's what I want.
So whatever you wanna do, do that.
If you wanna do something man is doing do it like just period
mental. Don't think that, you know,
you just gotta skim and do all that extra stuff.
It's other stuff out.
You can make bread, the guys in my job, make $65 an hour.
You see what I'm saying?
Maybe you really doing nothing like no lie,
they be doing nothing.
So don't just think you gotta skim, you gotta do,
you gotta do that.
It's other stuff you can go on Google and put in um N Y C
apprenticeship. You're gonna see all the stuff that's up.
Look up the jobs too,
look up all of that once you turn 18 Nobody didn't tell me that.
Like when you turn 18,
all that stuff apply for it because in like two years,
two years fly by, you know, you doing your stuff,
they're gonna call you back, you're gonna forget,
they're gonna call you back and then you go,
he's gonna be set up.
So just I'm just letting you know school got the only option
after here. I think here I'm like, yo, what I'm gonna do my,
my grades there was right. They wasn't like spectacular.
So I like, you know, I'm not in a four year.
I won't go to a two year. But honestly, school is really is.
It's not my thing. It's not my thing.
I do wanna go back to do stuff in construction though,
but not like teaching wise.
But I do wanna like, incorporate like, you know,
kids with construction because I feel like, you know,
um all women should know how to do something because you don't,
you you not got to call a man to fix everything you need to fix.
So I feel like a woman should at least know like a little
something, something to get you through your day.
So I'm just here to let you know school.
You don't always gotta go to school route.
You could go to trade route, you go any route you wanna go.
But just know it's not the only option for you.
And I'm gonna let you know that because I'm making that bread
right now, regardless I make it.
I went from making $4 to making $35 and like in like 2.5 years,
So I'm just here. I see you looking at me. So. All right.
I'm just here to let you know that.
Not because you're a girl, you know, you got your nails done,
all that. You can still get your nails done.
You can wear your gloves and shit like that.
My nail collection right now, I'm getting done after this,
but I just let you know just because you could do electrical is
not that much on females. Um Let me tell you the,
the easiest little things if you wanna do it. Electrical.
That's cool. If you're a guy, you could do that.
Uh sheet metal laborer.
That's definitely you, you get to 45 hours in two, in two years,
you get to $45 in two years. You laborer.
So I'm just like, you know, most of them is five years.
You gotta get to like certain stuff,
but you could look it up online.
You can see how long it's gonna take you.
It starts off low, but the more you work, the more your,
your stuff go up. So school or trade, either one,
just traders make a lot of money right now.
Just let you guys know.
so you can still do the school thing and the trade thing.
A lot of guys in my union,
they still do trade and they still go to school because I'm
gonna be real with you.
It's not, you don't, work is not always consistent.
It's not always, you work 25 the whole year.
No, sometimes they have down months.
So I don't wanna be here like, oh,
I make mad bread and I work every day.
No, not all trades, work every day.
I do tile like, you know, the floor, the bathroom and shit.
That's what I do. I do tile.
So I feel like my trade is more seasonal.
So right now I've been looking into changing my trade because I
need more money. I want, I want more money.
I'm not gonna be staying at home and get unemployment.
I don't want that. I want my 35 hours. See what I'm saying.
So, trades like carpentry, they consistent, electrical,
consistent laborers, they always need laborers, period.
Always, always over every job. Just look into that.
Look into what you really wanna do. You don't gotta do that.
I just let you guys know what's out there.
Don't forget they got M T A city jobs,
all that apply to everything. What's that?
School safety, whatever you wanna do,
just do it and just know that you could do it.
But if you come in here or whatever,
just know that you could do it. All right, I'm done. Thank you.
Ok. Thank you to our guest speaker.
Once again, please give her a round of applause.
And now we will proceed with the presentation.
if you're interested in learning more about Sandra John,
it's on the back of our presentation.
And uh so please read that if I read it. Ok.
Metropolitan Diploma plus high school,
2010 graduate and New York City Union Center featured on C NBC
Make It series that focuses on success, money, work and life.
Xander's career was highlighted for her work ethic,
family oriented values, determination,
fortitude and facing challenging situations and accomplishments.
As a woman in a male dominated career, Ok.
And now let's welcome MS Johnson to present the Richard Welling
certificate Good morning.
I'm Miss Johnson. I'm the geometry teacher here.
Um I am here to present the Welling certificate which is awarded
to a student who has demonstrated outstanding citizenship
service and leadership in the school's government or in the
Chancellor's student advisor activities.
This year's recipients are Eugene Gonzalez star Asia living.
and Johnny, Next, we're gonna have Miss come to the stage.
Hi, everybody. Congratulations.
I'm so proud of each and every one of you.
I am here to present the cooperation and government certificate.
This is awarded to students who have demonstrated exemplary
service and outstanding citizenship.
The recipients are Sierra Kelly. and Emily Ortiz Rodriguez,
I'd also like to present the Hackett certificate and this is
awarded to a student who has demonstrated excellence and the
greatest proficiency in oratory,
either verse or prose of very articulate students.
And we have two recipients this year,
Madison Bright and Trinity and they're not in I don't know,
and now Miss Heath for the next award, Good morning again.
So these awards on behalf of the teachers.
So I came to represent the teachers on these specific awards for
the U F T Science Award star Livingston U F T art award.
Kean Matthews for the U F T Math Angel Soo U F T Math Tiara
Katon I like your hat.
again for Math Sierra Kelly.
for Staff Appreciation, Destiny OK.
We got her for Spanish Devante Thomas.
for Spanish Diana Marcela, environmental Science,
Tyrone Brickhouse E L A car No E L A.
computer technology, Delvin Penta, and also for social studies.
Devin social studies, Dmitri Moody,
Uh So she says that's it for the Teachers Awards.
We still have more awards coming.
Oh, now we welcome Miss Garden to the stage.
morning. Phil, congratulations. All of you graduates.
It's really a pleasure seeing all of you.
So I'll be giving out the Triple C Award from the office of
Leticia James, the Attorney General of the State of New York.
I'm pleased to present the Triple C award.
The Triple C is presented in recognition of your courage which
will assist you in meeting the challenges ahead,
your remarkable commitment to bettering yourself your school and
community, which makes you a role model to others.
And this is an We can say this is an awesome one for this year.
You know, your strength of character, which was,
which has helped you achieve your goals and will guide you in
making the right decisions in the future. This year's recipe,
this year's recipients are Billips Myre Destiny Jennings and
Hernandez.
Mr Rosenblatt will present the next award,
Congratulations everybody to all the uh graduates and all our
family that are here.
The Council of School Supervisors and Administrators and the
American Federation of School Administrators recognizes
leadership in students and parents.
The following awards are given to those whose qualities and
spirit of involvement, characterize them as leaders.
It is my pleasure to present the CS A student leadership
certificate to Nasa Brown.
It is also my pleasure to present the A F S A student leadership
certificate to Kara Smith.
I will now welcome to the stage, Mr.
Good morning, everyone and congratulations graduates.
their clients.
The Blind s award is presented to a student who has demonstrated
a high level of motivation and determination to succeed.
This year's recipient is boing right?
Thank you.
Now, we'll welcome Mr and Mrs Clark. Why?
good morning.
And as a founder of a Metropolitan Plus high school,
I'd like to personally congratulate congratulate Zandra and I
wanna add one thing to what she said.
They're getting ready to uh have a one point something trillion
dollar Uh infrastructure plan and that's gonna create jobs for
the rest of your life.
And not only are you gonna make more money.
But you're also gonna have a pension and probably a 30-year plan.
And, and after this, uh uh pandemic.
teachers were elevated to central workers,
which is a good thing along with uh uh First Responders and
health Health Workers,
But one of the other things that happened is that it forced us
out of the traditional classroom into your first classroom and
your first classroom is your home.
And all of you can recall when you were at home.
One of the first words you heard was stop and know and you learn
the sentence put that down, you know, leave that alone Ok.
And so,
and then you can understand as a first responder when you were
crying in the middle of the night or you scrape your knee or you
cut your finger, who was the first responders?
your parents, guardians or elder si uh siblings, So I'm,
I'm actually trying to make a point for the graduates.
You got 23 classrooms where you're gonna step into another
classroom and you're gonna have a subject that you can't avoid
and it's called life.
When you get in this class, you can drop out, you can,
you can do what you want,
but it's what you do that will determine the quality of life
that you have.
and it's something you cannot avoid It's just there.
It's gonna be there and it's gonna present challenges to you and
it's how you deal with these challenges that's gonna create a
better life for you as individuals.
So I'm gonna make, I'm gonna stop now.
But I, I wanna say something to teachers in this sense.
You have to ask yourself, are we teachers,
instructors or educators?
And then when you ask yourself that you gotta ask yourself
another question.
The question is, how do you teach our young people to learn?
And I'm saying this to, you know,
to create controversy basically,
but to have some thought as you making plans for September You
know what I mean? And, and,
and I'm one of those that I'm not looking for things to go back
to the way they were.
I'm looking for things to become better OK? With that.
I'm gonna say congratulations to the graduating class and,
and we're gonna give an award to one of those essential people.
Thank you.
Uh I'm Mrs Clark,
the founding parent coordinator of this school.
And I'm proud to say that Zandra Dr was one of the students that
I work with the parents.
I retired in 2000 2016 and it was a pleasure and what I did.
You want me to say. But what I did I did the intake,
but I made sure that I work with the parents.
We had, I had a plan.
My plan was to work with the parent to work with the student and
myself.
We did that first and then we came up with a plan that we can
make our Children grow and be successful and it was,
it was really good. So, Zandra was one of my students.
I'm so proud of her to the graduates. Congratulations.
You did. It And like Mr Clark said,
now you are moving on to a more important role in life,
make that decision, work for you.
You could have to make a big decision as to where you would want
your path to lead you, make that decision, work for you.
You can do it.
If you went through this, through the pandemic and all of this,
you can do it. And remember,
put your parents or the person that helped you get here above
all,
you may not think they know everything but they love you and
they want the best for you because you, you know,
you don't come with instructions.
So take heed to that and congratulations again.
So I'm gonna present the, uh,
CPA Parent Leadership Award to Christie Eaton.
Keaton, I'm sorry, Keaton, sorry.
Yeah. Yeah. Christy Keaton.
Come on up she is the parent of Tyrone Brickhouse.
Yeah. Come, come here, you're here.
Congratulations and keep the good work out.
Hello, everyone again. Hi.
So I came to the stage because uh we have um we got a great
opportunity.
So I don't know if some of you know, um one of our graduates,
um he, he,
he became a celebrity and he ended up passing away pop smoke.
Shard Jackson actually attended and graduated from Metropolitan.
Um He was a, he was a great young man,
a shining light at our school.
And so working with his family and the community,
we were able to award a student of scholarship.
Um for their hard work, you know,
he had a journey and this same student had a journey.
But through it all,
they were able to be successful and rise to the cage and moving
on.
And this young man is actually going on to trade school fully
accepted and we wanted to extend this scholarship.
It's actually $1,000 scholarship to Christopher Cruz.
So Yes. So this is Christopher Cruz everyone.
Um We're actually mom,
mom couldn't make it because she's actually still teaching
despite everything going on.
She's still teaching her class right now.
And my, but I just wanted everyone to publicly acknowledge who
Christopher Cruz was and that he is getting this scholarship um
from the behalf of the, of this scholarship.
So I just wanted to share that with everyone. Thank you Yes.
The actual title of the scholarship.
Sorry is the Vincible Scholarship, so thank you.
You?
it Water.
Makes you walk. It, makes you walk.
I see. Waffle, I see. Waffle back, you know, thank you.
and now I'd like to call up Miss Kristen and Miss Ashley from
New York City Mission Society to present their Yes,
I learning to our program to present the Yes I can awards.
good morning again just for those who don't know me.
I am Miss Kristen, the school social worker.
I know I have a lot of you on my case though.
So I'm just reintroducing myself.
Um We will be giving out ipads to the Yes,
I can students as an award So the following students are Eugene
Gonzalez Nassan Brown, Aisha.
Trinity, Ks Samba.
So for the Yes I can students.
These are students who have worked hard regardless of their
obstacles, any barriers that were in their way,
they made sure that they got it done and we really want to show
our appreciation. Congratulations again, guys enjoy.
and our last student is Delvin Panino.
Ok. At this time,
I would like to ask the following staff to come to the stage for
the presentation of diplomas and shout out to our graduates,
Miss Leroy, Miss Garden, Miss M Johnson,
Miss Beth Mr M Jill and Miss Heat.
now for the distribution of, of diplomas,
we will start with Mr Cool.
All right. All right. It's finally time to give you the diploma.
There are some students that I just want to make a note that are
watching on youtube right now.
So I know there's some people not here.
So I'm gonna start with the students that are here.
I'm going to say a couple words and then you can come up and get
your award. So this start student started PRE COVID.
She came to school every day.
she didn't want to participate in any of the activities.
However, she wrote beautifully.
Her vocabulary is awesome and she excelled and she graduated,
she, she graduated today. It's Michaela Bills.
Congratulations I, All right.
I'm gonna try to go quick.
So this student when we first went remote last year.
I assigned them um, a Rube Goldberg machine.
They had to make this machine and they had to post it.
Only a few kids did it anyway.
This student came to school, worked with Mary a lot,
um completed all his classes. It's Eugene Gonzalez.
Congratulations.
No, all right, all right, this student is watching on youtube.
That's right. What are you going to say? Say it again.
That's right.
You could stay So we have a student remote.
Um This student was probably at this school longer than she
should have been and I know she didn't want to be here but she
had a problem with attendance.
Um She finally finished and I'm so proud of her.
She's gonna go far star Asia Livingston. Congratulations.
All right, this next kid is here.
Um a student that probably stayed here too long.
I know she didn't want to be here. She wanted to leave.
Um She said, I'm,
I don't know if I'm ever gonna be able to do this.
Well, guess what you did it, Diana Marcellus.
All right, I got two more. I got two more.
I had this student's sibling.
Um I know the student's family when we first went remote,
the kid used to turn on the camera and I would say, oh,
where's your sister? Where's your girlfriend?
So they all lived in the same apartment.
So that was awesome that I got to reconnect. But you did it too.
Kayla Regis? Congratulations.
No, All right.
This last student got lucky because he didn't have to take the
regents with me. He only had me one trimester.
He said, I don't like this class.
You're requiring too much work. I don't want to do the work.
Meanwhile, he did the work and he graduated Samba.
So congratulations All right, another student that's here.
So this student I only knew via text message and email.
I've never seen the student in real life until maybe two or
three weeks ago. The student participated in all four A P exams.
She took all four exams at home, which is a first for Metro.
It's a big deal. Congratulations, Naia Brown.
So two more names.
I'm not sure if they're here or they're watching Remote but
Diamond Reid and Sierra Kelly. Congratulations. E All right,
next up uh for the next set of awards is Miss Gordon uh Good
morning again,
everyone and it's just a good time to be here to celebrate our
graduates. Um in my four years.
I always identify this day as my favorite day being in Metro.
Metro is a place of reset, restart for students and we traverse,
we work together and we encourage them to come on board and get
it done and it's through phone calls,
it's through parent outreach, it's through text messages,
it's through pushbacks, we preserve and our students persevere.
And so be giving the to, to these three students.
Now, for the first one.
excellent attendance earlier than most persons in the building.
Um The only time he gets frustrated or show us any kind of
frustration is when the grades are not pleasing to him because
he aspires to achieve so well, he came to Metro Fit In,
made us his family,
we made in his family and te showed up he delivered.
What? Our next student a delay to start,
but it's there still holding on this student despite despite the
calls, despite the reaching out and you know,
the delays to get there,
he delivered and one of the All the teachers that you know,
we speak to our staff members that he was ever so respectful and
I with the parental response.
When I reached out to his, when I talk to him would call.
Yes, Miss I'm going to do it. I'm going to do it.
I'm gonna get it done.
is always respectful pushed the money he delivered Carlos
Morrell. Come up your was so special in reaching out for cars.
said,
I want him to give me that graduation picture and I am so happy
for that. Thank you, thank you that Our next, our next student.
I m as you reflect,
maybe the pandemic worked for us because students were able to
apply themselves maybe later in the evening and not the set time
within the classroom.
I know sometimes he had some attendance issues but We saw the
pattern when we observed that he would come on late at night.
I'm not sure if he was working,
but he would come on late at night and he delivered,
he did what he had to do.
respectful person when he was in the building working with them.
time that we worked together, but del delivered through on.
No Hi again.
Um I'm honored to recognize a couple of students um in my career.
I started a really, really, really long time.
Oh, can you hear me? Hello? Ok. I'm pretty loud.
So OK, you can hear me right. Perfect.
Um I started my career in teaching when I was a baby.
I was like 22 years old. I was a kid.
I didn't know anything and I've had the pleasure and luxury of
teaching in so many different schools working with so many
different young people,
so many teachers and this school is really special and what
makes as special as you guys.
I've never seen such resilient kids who work so hard and it's
been, and it's been tough for a lot of you guys.
It's been really difficult and I just want to take a moment just
to recognize all of you for a second.
Just wonderful, wonderful work you've done.
And I'm gonna shout out Deli Morales and ideally,
I remember meeting you at the beginning of remote.
You were on my roster and you just came in with so much
positivity and energy after like during a pandemic and that
smile got me through so many difficult days,
just how positive and hard working you are.
And you're absolutely lovely.
And I just know you're gonna, you're gonna shine,
you're going to shine your light on whatever it is you decide to
do. So. Congratulations.
and another student that I wanna shout out is to Leah Riggins.
And unfortunately I didn't get to work with you this year,
but I worked with you last year and you were the one of the I've
never seen a kid grow in terms of being a writer so quickly.
She just kept at it. Brilliant writer, worked so hard.
Such another shining light. Such a pleasure to work with.
And I just know you're gonna be so successful in whatever it is
you decide to do to. Congratulations.
So the first student that I'm here to congratulate is not with
us today. Um Madison Bright.
Um but she is a wonderful kid and she always makes me laugh when
she comes in the room.
Um And this next student, um really good attendance.
He always came in and he was always ready to work and he would
always work with whatever group we set him out to work with
Johnny.
Ok. So um we have the last student and he always came to my art
class really early every day and made like awesome art.
And I'm so proud to give this um graduation award to Kean
Matthews This next young man just needed a little push to finish
up the remaining credits that he needed.
And once I gave it to him,
he was full force ahead and never looked back.
Please welcome Michael Caper.
Listen.
this next young lady is bright, responsible, determined.
Please welcome Sierra Kate.
This next young man got off to a little bit of a rough start,
but I knew he was really bright because he had a lot of credits
and really high and I reg scores and he just needed to be pushed
and needed a little guidance.
And once we did it, he never from that point forward,
he stepped up his game and never looked back.
Please welcome Laquan Davis.
This next young man isn't here right now.
He's vacationing in Puerto Rico, but I'm, he's extremely bright.
He's gonna follow in his mom's footsteps and become a doctor and
I can't wait to book my next doctor appointment with him.
Please welcome Patrick de la as a candidate for graduation.
This next show man was only with us for a short time,
but I enjoyed all of our, our face time, check ins and chats.
I'm really glad I got the chance to know you and see how
hardworking, determined and bright you are.
Please welcome Kai I really enjoyed our check ins whether it was
in the computer lab via text or on the phone.
You are a Metro Legacy,
which means when one of your older siblings graduated from our
school, I call our students metro legacies.
You are very bright and determined.
I saw it right from the beginning.
Please welcome Destiny Jennings.
This next young lady is determined, hard working, resilient,
overcame adversity and showed that she can do whatever she sets
her mind to. Please welcome Aisha.
this next young man I'm really gonna miss you coming in to
charge your phone all the time and checking in with me and oh,
he's asking me for more gym classes,
even though you already had all the credits.
Please welcome to Thomas to the stage.
Be.
This next young lady, despite some obstacles,
you never gave up and worked very hard to the end to achieve
your goals. Please welcome Zabel.
this next young lady always made sure to check in with me
whether she was in New York or P A.
You may have gotten a little frustrated at times,
but you never gave up. You are so strong and resilient.
Please welcome to Kayla.
This next young man might not be here for graduation because he
is already in boot camp. He joined the US Marines,
but I just wanted to take a minute to acknowledge him,
Dmitry moody. He was an absolute pleasure to have as a student.
The most respectful young man you will ever meet.
I am so proud of him for going to serve our country.
And can I get a Dmitry moody?
Ok, I think I have a few more.
Let me see.
I got patches and, Sierra Oh, it's even the best one for last.
Huh? This next one I call her Mia,
I'm really gonna miss our chats about.
Who else am I gonna talk about them with?
You are a triple s smart, sweet and strong girl.
I'm gonna miss you, Emily Ortiz. Get up here.
I have one more?
This next young man is also a Metro legacy because his brother
went here.
But working with this young man has been one of the greatest
rewards as a guidance counselor,
seeing him grow and mature and the young man that he is today,
always coming in, checking in with me, always there.
You know, I, I always say, you know, he,
he went out of town for a little bit because he wasn't coming to
school.
But then when he came back We say Mike Brown is back in town.
Mike Brown is back in town and he never, he save Right.
I have a single, by the way, we're going to go live.
Ok. So for everyone who don't know, I'm miss, hello again.
Um Hello,
the first student I would like to call is One of my favorites do
that. Well, all you guys are my favorites.
I'm gonna, you're gonna hear me keep saying that.
Um, but one of my favorites and he would always be like,
Miss Best every time. Can you do your work, Miss Best?
That's all you will hear. They'll always be in the hallway.
But he really surprised us last year when he was, you know,
he came up in front of the class and he taught the whole class.
Even Miss had to come and she's like, wait,
I have to get a picture and that student that is no other than
Tarell wise.
All right.
So So uh Tarell and Mike actually finished in January,
but they came here today to be with the class of 2020 my next
student. He's very quiet, a very chill.
He's calm and not one of my favorite. He's very sweet.
Um even with the pandemic, he really worked through it.
He, he just stayed consistent and I'm very like happy his mom.
She was just so supportive and he's so bright.
You know, I'm very,
very proud of this student also and that is no other than Tyrone
Brick House.
ok for the next,
the next next young man I remember when we met in summer of,
I believe it's 2019 and he came in, he's like, so upset.
I'm like, what's your name? Chris?
And, I remember when he came into my class,
we didn't really get along at first.
But then he actually turned out to be one of the sweetest and
most helpful student.
You know, he stayed and he worked independently.
He would work with other students when I asked him to,
you're always there to help.
I'm again, I'm very proud of this student.
No other than Christopher Hernandez Cruz.
Come on up, for this next student, this young lady,
she's very quiet. I remember she would be in the class.
She'll be working with M JB L and she would just laugh and smile.
Please welcome to the stage, my G T Princess Miss Abigail Robin.
Congratulations No, for this next young lady.
She, when she was in my A P class,
There were times when she wouldn't be there and then when she
show up, she will get like 10 assignments done within one hour.
Super woman. I'm very proud of the student.
Very smart, very supportive again.
And that is no other than Miss Mira Smith. Congratulations.
and for last but not least for the students I remember when I
first met her, she would make me laugh all the time.
She wouldn't like to write her assignments.
I would have to come up with creative ways to get her to write
the assignment, her do her work.
But she's so smart, like, very smart and I don't know,
she's just so funny to be around all the time.
All the students love her.
And that is no other than Miss Ashanti.
Ok.
Hello again.
Um I have two students that I wanted to acknowledge for the
diploma.
I'm not sure if they're here, this particular, the first one,
this young man, he was a very quiet kid.
A lot of times you wouldn't necessarily see him,
But when he's in class, he would light up participate in groups.
Just a respectful young man, Angel Ranz. Give him a shout out.
And this other, this young lady um she's new to Metro.
She came this year was remote the all the time,
but she pushed through, she persevered.
All the teachers would say she would actively engage in her
class as a sweet young lady.
A pleasure to be around Trinity cares.
and now I would like to call to the stage,
the best assistant principal.
I always tell her she should have been a guidance counselor,
Miss Judy Caputo.
for the turning of the tassel.
Thank you. Thank you everybody for coming today.
Thank you for joining us.
Um It's definitely been And experience the last 15 months.
And um if you can tell a lot of us teachers and people who work
in schools, we don't get out much.
So this will be, this is my, this is a party for us. OK?
I know the kids are all here looking,
they're looking at me like they're too cool for school,
you know, and I'm like, do you remember me? Right? I don't know.
ok, so we're technically about to wrap it up and you know,
we Um This is our first outdoor graduation and I feel like it
was a success and it only took,
It only took a pandemic to get us to try it.
So, um like many other things uh it's, it was on my bucket list,
I guess so. Just take a second.
is she here?
Oh, Um I've just been informed,
somebody just passed me a note um Uh one of our other graduates
has arrived and we apologize that we missed her.
So let's give her a shout out before we do the tassel. OK.
you want to do it?
Um this student also was similar to but like a little bit
different.
She was always there so early to work on art and like put in 100
and like 20% to like make the most beautiful art projects.
And I just wanna give a big shout out to Leticia cordes Leticia
was also a January graduate. Where are you Letitia?
the list.
Yeah,
She is also currently attending Co Op Tech for the C N A nursing
program.
so there's one student who just is here but she won't come up.
Ashanti Tisdale.
I got it. No, we know, we know she's here. We know why.
We know, we know we know why.
I got the tea.
Don't worry what all you guys know what that means. Oh OK.
I thought I was just, I just hooked up with myspace.
You guys heard of that? Oh, all right. So,
Um I just wanna give a thank you to the graduation committee,
uh remote teachers and in person m Heath coordinated this,
we're gonna go into wedding planning as a side gig soon.
But thank you, Miss Heath. Where did she go?
she's a yeah, in the green, some of us wear green for a Metro.
We try, Um Thank you to M Heath.
Everybody who helped out Miss Heath M J M Best Mr Cool,
Miss uh Miss Leroy M Johnson, Mr Rosenblatt,
everybody who helped out Miss Alfonso, miss me in the office.
And um tunes Mr C, we did that already, right.
They know who they are, right. um OK?
So we're gonna do um the turning of the tassel.
And if we could just, again,
I guess I just want to recognize like last year we didn't get to
do a celebration. So this is kind of like, you know, it's,
it's not exactly two years in one,
but we've been waiting a long time to see you guys face to face
and it really means a lot that your family and friends showed up
today. Thank you again for joining us.
Um So right now I'd like the graduates to stand.
OK. Stand up.
You know that song? Stand up.
So the tassel should be on the right side right now.
If you want to just get it on to the right side,
if you don't have one, we can do you know an imaginary.
Oh, you got it. OK. You don't have a tassel.
All right, we'll get you one.
That's samba, We'll get you a 2021 tassel.
OK? The tassel should be on the right side.
This is symbolic of your transition to candidate to graduate.
So at this time,
please move your tassel from the right side to the left side,
which signifies your graduation.
And now I get to announce by the power vested in me in the state
of New York.
I would proudly introduce to you the class of 2021 Metropolitan
Diploma Plus High School.
Ok. We're going to have the music on for a little while.
I know we have some food coming.
If you want to take some photos,
we have a photo op over there on the court.
Everyone,
all graduates don't forget to go to Miss Kristen to get your
Amazon gift card Amazon gift cards for graduates with Miss
Kristen.
Thank you.