D.C. students began classes Monday with a positive attitude, despite declining enrollment in the city’s public schools.
With about 55,000 students projected to attend districtwide this academic year, overall enrollment is down nearly 3,000 from last school year.
But McKinley Tech has more students than ever. The Northeast high school, which opened in 2004, is graduating its first class this academic year. Of McKinley’s 800 students, about 150 are seniors.
“Now I feel like it’s an official high school,” said junior Che Washington, 15.
Proud parents literally rolled out a red carpet for seniors’ arrival Monday morning.
“It was great watching [the seniors] come up to the building this morning,” said Principal Daniel Gohl.
In addition to core academic subjects, students at McKinley Tech take classes in biotechnology, information technology and broadcast media for two years before choosing a concentration.
“Everyone in here, their mind is set toward positive things,” said junior Earli LeSane, 15.
McKinley Tech students who began as sophomores two years ago are used to being the oldest kids on campus. But this year there are even higher expectations for them to act as role models, said 17-year-old senior Cornelius Price.
“We’re constantly reminded by the teachers, every class we go to,” he said.
As students settled into advanced algebra and AP physics classes, 16-year-old senior Ashley Hatcher already was eager for this year to be over.
“We’ve been waiting for this moment since pre-K,” she said, “and we just want to get our lives started.”
