A great day for Promise students
When dealing with more than 1,000 teenagers, it helps to be a preacher or a DJ—Pittsburgh Promise Executive Director Saleem Ghubril acted as both and had the 1,300 seniors who qualified as Pittsburgh Promise graduates dancing and cheering as they celebrated Senior Signing Day, announcing their post-secondary educational commitments, just like star athletes do.
In fact, they celebrated so much at Duquesne University’s A.J. Palumbo Center—cheering, shaking clackers and pompoms—that they drowned out newly re-elected Mayor Bill Peduto reading a proclamation declaring May 17 “Pittsburgh Promise Senior Signing Day in Pittsburgh.”
Peduto even chuckled, and when he did, they got louder.
But he wasn’t the only one there to congratulate the seniors on the achievements, and to wish them success at the more than 100 colleges, universities, trade schools and U.S. military branches to which they’ve committed. He was joined by Pittsburgh school board members, school superintendent Dr. Anthony Hamlet, Hall-of-Fame Pittsburgh Steeler and Promise Board Chairman Franco Harris, Todd Moules and Margot Copeland of KeyBank—who announced a $1 million donation to the Promise, speaker Bonnie St. Claire and Promise alum, turned Clarion University graduate Torron Mollett.
Mollett, who grew up in Homewood and attended Pittsburgh Allderdice, told the seniors he didn’t think college was an option, but his mother and teachers pushed him and made sure it was.
“Where I grew up, what I saw was kids either drop out, get killed or go to jail. I didn’t think college was for me,” he said. “But I’m here today to tell you to believe in yourself because if you believe, anything is possible. Congratulations, Class of 2017!”
Dr. Hamlet told the graduates they’ve already done that.
“It’s amazing to me that we told people, some who doubted, to expect great things from Pittsburgh Public Schools, and here you are,” he told the seniors. “You are living proof of that. I am proud of you. I love you. And I wish you well.”
St. Claire congratulated them and reminded them not to slack off in the summer and forget to do the mundane filing of papers and submitting forms by deadlines because if not they will miss out on the opportunity they’ve earned.
Harris told them to work hard because some day it will be their turn to make their communities better.
“Never stop trying to be a better person,” he said. “Never stop trying to be a wiser person. And never stop learning. Good luck to you.”
The New Pittsburgh Courier caught up with Allderdice students who announced their plans for college. Asha Thomas will attend North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. “I went on a college tour in the summer and just fell in love with the campus,” she said. “Plus, it’s an HBCU, and I want to be away from home.”
Christofer Lamarr plans to attend Hampton University. “Virginia is an up-and-coming place, and it’s great for my major, mass communications,” he said.
Armoni Hagans said he chose Penn State because, “I want to further my education and pursue the dreams that I want in the future.” Hagans wants to become an electrical engineer.
And Malaysia Wallace chose the Nittany Lions, “Because I feel as if I’ll get a good education there, and it’s also within the state so I can use my Pittsburgh Promise. Versus any other school in the state, Penn State is a bigger college and I can get a better understanding of how college is along with a nice education.”
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