Tah-Vier (Tavy) Perez

     Graduating senior Tavy Perez doesn’t just excel inside the classroom, but also outside. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he chose to use his free time volunteering at a food pantry, which inspired him to use this unique experience as the focus for his senior project. Ms. Throckmorton, Tavy’s homeroom coach, shares how happy she is to publicly recognize him for his academic accomplishments as well as his volunteer work. 

I am most impressed by Tavy’s dedication to his education,” Ms. Throckmorton says. “He persevered and thrived while at Achievement House and is truly a story of student success. He represents how hard work does pay off. I am excited to see what he does next because I believe he’ll find success in this next chapter of life just as he did in high school.

     The bond Ms. Throckmorton shares with Tavy is one of mutual respect. Tavy believes that without her encouragement, he wouldn’t have been able to improve his work ethic, which led to his improved grades and ultimately graduating. The easy access to his assignments and teacher communication, such as having their emails and phone numbers, is something Tavy appreciates. His ability to attend our Drop-in Center hours to ask for additional help and speak with teachers one-on-one changed his outlook on how school can be. He values the efforts Ms. Throckmorton and all his teachers made to guarantee his improvement and success.  

My grand mom always told me, “good teachers make good students,” Tavy says. “The large class sizes I had at previous schools prevented me from developing one-on-one connections and fully understanding assignments, which left me feeling frustrated and alone. Here, I never feel silly for seeking help and I can move at my own pace.

     After graduation, Tavy is considering taking a gap year before he makes plans to attend either art school or business school. No matter what he decides to do, we know he will do it with passion! Congratulations, Tavy!

Allyssa George 

     Graduating senior Allyssa George is a student full of resilience. Upon joining the AHCCS family, she overcame setbacks that only made her more determined to graduate and get her diploma. While enduring physical complications involved with the birth of her son this year, she powered through and continued to work hard in her courses. She shares that her motivation behind getting her diploma was so she could be a role model for her son. 

My greatest success has been graduating high school while taking care of my infant son,” Allyssa says. “The fact that AHCCS has allowed me to balance schoolwork while still getting to cherish my son’s milestones is something I will forever be grateful for.

Allyssa’s homeroom coach, Ms. Tweed, describes Allyssa as someone who remains positive and upbeat no matter what life throws at her. Allyssa’s mentor, Ms. Kern, echoes Ms. Tweed’s sentiments.

Allyssa has demonstrated incredible resiliency in her senior year with us,” Ms. Kern says. “Right from the start of the year, she encountered serious life difficulties. She was able to persevere and was determined not to let them be an obstacle in earning her high school diploma. I’m extremely impressed by what she has accomplished. Allyssa is a true inspiration.

After graduation, Allyssa hopes to open her own baking business from home. Her plan is to have an online blog connected with a store, which will allow buyers to purchase dry mixes in glass jars. She even envisions selling fudges and candies too! If she gives the same amount of dedication and focus to the business as she does to her schoolwork and her son, we know it will be successful. Congratulations, Allyssa!