“A careful woman I have to be, a little one who follows me, I do not care go astray, for fear they’ll go the same way,” student Brittany Caston wrote in a poem at Kenmare High School this year.
Caston was one of a dozen women who received their diplomas at a July 24 ceremony at City Hall in Jersey City.
Kenmare is an alternative high school that offers young women who have dropped out of the school system a chance to receive a high school diploma. More than half of the students are single parents, many of whom receive some form of public assistance.
The school is designed to help break the cycle of poverty and to help women become self sufficient.
Kenmare High has three trimesters a year with smaller in-school graduation ceremonies at the end of each trimester, and a cap and gown graduation ceremony in July.
Some of the students from previous trimesters come back to attend the formal event. This year, 12 of 18 graduates made the trek to City Hall, accompanied by family members, friends and well-wishers. Some of their children got to watch as their mothers accepted their diploma.
Kenmare’s curriculum is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools and offers personalized attention, an array of core and elective courses, as well as career guidance, counseling and parenting classes. And the school has two full-time social workers who always keep their doors open to the students.
The school is a non-profit organization that operates under the aid of grants, donations, an annual fundraiser and the nominal tuition collected from students. Although the school is run by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace, the school is non-denominational, and it does not teach religion.
The largest classes consist of 12 students, and some classes have as few as five pupils.
Unlike traditional high schools, there are there are no freshmen, sophomores, juniors or seniors at Kenmare. All of its students are women aged 17 to 29 who are working hard to build up enough credits to graduate.
Most of the women enrolled at Kenmare dropped out of high school because they were pregnant or had troubles at home.
They go through internships at nearby businesses and offices so that they have some job experience before graduation.
“I had to put everything to the side and think about a better future.” – Janisa Rodriguez
Kenmare is one of several programs run by the York Street Project, a local nonprofit founded in 1982. The organization also deals with homeless women and children.
‘It’s about the journey, not the outcome’
Susanne Byrne, executive director for York Street Project, said the program started in the basement of nearby St. Boniface Church, and later moved to its current location.
Kenmare helps young women obtain a high school education and practical work skills, but also helps them to change their lives by giving them the discipline, tools, and experience that enables them to disprove the lessons in hopelessness that ring their lives, in their background, their living environment and their lack of success in traditional schools, officials said.
“How do I compare my life from when I was a mother of one now a mother of two?” wrote Shiketa Berry another of this year’s graduates in an essay. “You may think it’s easy, but it’s not at all. The first time I learned I would be a mom, I didn’t know what to do. I was lucky, I had so much support to catch me if I fall.”
Victoria Hayes, director of education for York Street Project, said the program is all about support for these students,.
“You have a lot to be proud of,” said Brian V. Uy, chair of the York Street Project Board of Trustees speaking to the class. “Remember you are an inspiration to us all.”
Joy Delvin, key note speaker, gave each of the women words of wisdom, she said she hoped they would carry out into their lives beyond the school.
“This is about the journey, not the outcome,” she said, noting that a journey can start at any point in their lives.
Janisa Rodriguez, who is still a student, said coming back to high was a bit scary.
“I’ve been out of high school for the past ten years,” she said. “I had to put everything to the side and think about a better future.”
Al Sullivan may be reached at asullivan@hudsonreporter.com
