LGBTQ teen finds safe space at Rio Americano High

3:08

Student with autism graduates as valedictorian

Congratulations to Cory Suzuki in Los Angeles Unified School District who was named class valedictorian this year at Gardena High. Cory was diagnosed with autism at age 4 and overcame many obstacles e

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3:06

4th Grader Beats Brain Tumor And Never Gives Up On School

Congratulations to Claremont Unified School District student Alexandra Savage who was diagnosed with #medulloblastoma brain cancer just before starting 4th grade at Condit Elementary. Now in remission

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5:47

Star quarterback beats brain cancer and graduates

Keannu Linnell was Mr. All-American. He was a three-sport athlete including quarterback at Lathrop High. But in December of 2016, Keannu was diagnosed with brain cancer. Find out how he overcame insur

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1:42

ESS Luncheon Recap 2018

Thank you to everyone who made this day of honoring our incredible Every Student Succeeding winners possible! Check out their inspiring stories on our YouTube ESS playlist!

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4:07

Former ESS winner wins Administrator Of The Year

“It’s an honor to serve as the leader of a school that has students that look like me. And more importantly, students that have a similar background or experience. You have the empathy piece because

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3:09

Overcoming anxiety through robotics

Jamie Geng is one of the most talented students to walk through the doors of Westview High in San Diego. She’s an AP student. She’s a musician. But she might be most proud of her time as president of

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2:51

Smiling through the pain

She is only eleven years old but Joey Drake is wise beyond her years. Born with cerebral palsy, Joey faced her fair share of challenges growing up. But she refused to let her condition dictate her dai

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2:45

Northridge Academy student gets new heart

Beatriz Vasquez estimates she’s spent more time at the hospital than at her school. But through it all, Beatriz has always made time for her education. Beatriz was born with a ventricular septal defe

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2:46

Ramona High student finds second family with AVID

The fact that Luis Diaz is alive right now, let alone a high school graduate, is nothing short of miraculous. He was born in Mexico but moved to the United States when he was five years old. He suffer

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2:41

Goodwill High student fulfills promise to her late mother

“We all have a part. And basically, it’s cheerleading. It’s kicking them in the butt and saying ‘Come on. Let’s go.’ But we are family here. And with us being family, we surround.” - Goodwill Educati

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3:35

Amador High student fights through debilitating disease

In November of 2013, Carson found his bright future very much in doubt when he began experiencing muscle weakness on the soccer field. After a battery of tests and several misdiagnoses, doctors told C

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3:10

DACA recipient is Ivy League bound

Stella Linardi knows what some people may think of her. As an undocumented immigrant, she says she often finds herself trying to prove her worth. Born in Indonesia, Stella and her family immigrated t

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2:42

Rocklin student believes in the power of a handshake

It is such a simple gesture. “Every morning I go in and I say hello to my teachers. ‘How was your weekend?’” Rocklin High junior Francisco Marquez said. “‘How was your day so far? How was your mornin

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2:17

Student finds family at Black Diamond High in wake of father’s death

Nothing can prepare you for the death of a parent, especially when it’s unexpected. No one knows that better than Mariana Thomas. On February 19, 2013, Mario Thomas died after suffering serious injuri

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3:17

Blind student at Temple City High finds light in the darkness

Federico Hernandez does not want your sympathy. He does not want your pity. He simply wants to be treated like everyone else. “He does not want to be associated with having a visual impairment,” Temp

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2:24

Rediscovering learning through art

When she transferred to Anderson New Technology High School, a school of 200, Jasmine Phillips had trouble finding the motivation to study and set goals, or the confidence to believe in herself. She n

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3:03

Chinese immigrant embraces change with new life in California

Emily Tang liked her old life in China. Her parents described her as one of the top students in her class and a teacher’s dream. But on May 22, 2016, Emily, along with her mother and brother, moved f

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2:35

Valley Oak High School Offers Students A Second Chance

When she first got here, she was, like a lot of our students… guarded and sheltered and a little lost and confused. And then… she just found herself. And she just kinda flipped the switch and ‘oh, I t

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3:17

Overcoming addiction to find purpose

“In my 37 years, I haven’t had a student that has overcome the difficulties that Nick has, and gotten to this point in his life in such a positive state, and graduate.” -Teacher, Jack Maranto, Indian

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3:03

“I always loved school. So, I always had big dreams.”

“We’re just like a comprehensive high school, we just deliver it in a different way. We’re more case managers, more counselors than teachers.” -Teacher, Jessica Cisneros-Elliot At just 17, Michelle B

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LGBTQ teen finds safe space at Rio Americano High

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Congratulations to Cory Suzuki in Los Angeles Unified School District who was named class valedictorian this year at Gardena High. Cory was diagnosed with autism at age 4 and overcame many obstacles e

Congratulations to Claremont Unified School District student Alexandra Savage who was diagnosed with #medulloblastoma brain cancer just before starting 4th grade at Condit Elementary. Now in remission

Keannu Linnell was Mr. All-American. He was a three-sport athlete including quarterback at Lathrop High. But in December of 2016, Keannu was diagnosed with brain cancer. Find out how he overcame insur

Thank you to everyone who made this day of honoring our incredible Every Student Succeeding winners possible! Check out their inspiring stories on our YouTube ESS playlist!

“It’s an honor to serve as the leader of a school that has students that look like me. And more importantly, students that have a similar background or experience. You have the empathy piece because

Jamie Geng is one of the most talented students to walk through the doors of Westview High in San Diego. She’s an AP student. She’s a musician. But she might be most proud of her time as president of

She is only eleven years old but Joey Drake is wise beyond her years. Born with cerebral palsy, Joey faced her fair share of challenges growing up. But she refused to let her condition dictate her dai

Beatriz Vasquez estimates she’s spent more time at the hospital than at her school. But through it all, Beatriz has always made time for her education. Beatriz was born with a ventricular septal defe

The fact that Luis Diaz is alive right now, let alone a high school graduate, is nothing short of miraculous. He was born in Mexico but moved to the United States when he was five years old. He suffer

“We all have a part. And basically, it’s cheerleading. It’s kicking them in the butt and saying ‘Come on. Let’s go.’ But we are family here. And with us being family, we surround.” - Goodwill Educati

In November of 2013, Carson found his bright future very much in doubt when he began experiencing muscle weakness on the soccer field. After a battery of tests and several misdiagnoses, doctors told C

Stella Linardi knows what some people may think of her. As an undocumented immigrant, she says she often finds herself trying to prove her worth. Born in Indonesia, Stella and her family immigrated t

It is such a simple gesture. “Every morning I go in and I say hello to my teachers. ‘How was your weekend?’” Rocklin High junior Francisco Marquez said. “‘How was your day so far? How was your mornin

Nothing can prepare you for the death of a parent, especially when it’s unexpected. No one knows that better than Mariana Thomas. On February 19, 2013, Mario Thomas died after suffering serious injuri

Federico Hernandez does not want your sympathy. He does not want your pity. He simply wants to be treated like everyone else. “He does not want to be associated with having a visual impairment,” Temp

When she transferred to Anderson New Technology High School, a school of 200, Jasmine Phillips had trouble finding the motivation to study and set goals, or the confidence to believe in herself. She n

Emily Tang liked her old life in China. Her parents described her as one of the top students in her class and a teacher’s dream. But on May 22, 2016, Emily, along with her mother and brother, moved f

When she first got here, she was, like a lot of our students… guarded and sheltered and a little lost and confused. And then… she just found herself. And she just kinda flipped the switch and ‘oh, I t

“In my 37 years, I haven’t had a student that has overcome the difficulties that Nick has, and gotten to this point in his life in such a positive state, and graduate.” -Teacher, Jack Maranto, Indian

“We’re just like a comprehensive high school, we just deliver it in a different way. We’re more case managers, more counselors than teachers.” -Teacher, Jessica Cisneros-Elliot At just 17, Michelle B