Chicago’s Urban Prep Academy is celebrating yet another year of extraordinary success.
For the fifth year in a row, all 240 seniors at the all-African-American-male high school have earned acceptance letters into a four-year college or university.
On Tuesday, the young men of the Class of 2014 celebrated their momentous occasion during a traditional ceremony where they exchanged their red uniform ties for a red-and-gold striped tie – a tradition done in observance of their achievement.
“The tie represents to me moving on from a boy to becoming a young man and actually doing something with my life,” graduating senior Dumar Harris told NBC Chicago.
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel attended the ceremony Tuesday to give the students a few encouraging words. NBA star Dwayne Wade has also donated $10,000 through his foundation, Wade’s World.
“Urban Prep is not for everyone, and those students may leave us,” said school founder and CEO Tim King. “But the fact that some students choose to leave us should not be used as a weapon against the students who have chosen to stay and have achieved this incredible accomplishment.”
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