October 28, 2024 | Jeffrey Good
The recent commencement ceremony for Miami-Dade Acceleration Academies (MDAA) turned out to be very much a family affair.
Grandparents, parents, brothers, sisters and other family members turned out to cheer the 100-plus young people who had triumphed over a wide range of challenges to get their high school careers on track. 
No family was more fully represented than that of David Guerrero, who took advantage of MDAA’s flexible scheduling to balance his responsibilities as a young dad, a working man and a teenager intent on earning his diploma and moving on to college.
David wasn’t the only one to reach his goal of donning cap and gown. So did his sister, Marian; his girlfriend, Julianna; and his aunt, Andrea. And did we mention their young children, who joined their parents and aunties in celebrating the big day?
“I didn’t give up, and I made it,” marveled David. 19. “I’m a year late, but I did it.”
When David was in a traditional high school, he wanted to do well but found that life was getting in the way. He had a baby daughter, Nova, and needed to hold three jobs — on construction sites, at a bike shop and as a beach attendant — to make ends meet.
That didn’t leave much time for a traditional school schedule. “I needed something with a lot of flexibility.”
He found it at MDAA, which works in partnership with the public school district to provide a personalized, flexible option for students who need to balance academic and life responsibilities. He was able to come to campus 2-3 days a week and also do coursework at home in between shifts at work.
The road wasn’t always smooth. In addition to the important work of raising his daughter and doing well at his jobs, David had to deal with a bicycle accident that broke his wrist and sapped his momentum. But just as he was about to give up, the advocates and educators at MDAA showed up for him.
Math coach Erick Velis reached out to him repeatedly when he fell off course, calling David’s mother when he couldn’t reach her son. “He was really on top of me.”
Alexandra Espino, who recently took leadership of the new Midtown Miami academy, also urged David to keep at it even when he was losing heart.
“She was definitely looking out for me,” David says. “She did more than her job.”
“He had a lot of challenges,” says Espino. “He and Julianna were working really hard together to make a better life for themselves and Nova.”
“Come on, David, you’re so close,” Espino told him. He took the message to heart and, on graduation day, celebrated his determination to earn a diploma rather than dropping out or settling for a GED.
Nova was there, along with the rest of his family, to join the celebration. David’s advice to others who are having a hard time getting across the finish line?
“Never give up.”
Click here to see images from graduation day by photographer Abby Ballin.
Miami-Dade Acceleration Academies works in partnership with Miami-Dade Public Schools to offer an alternative option for students who need more flexibility and support for high school completion. Each student receives a personalized learning plan with a flexible mix of online coursework, one-on-one coaching and social-emotional support. We design it all to work with your work and family obligations.
