An $80,000-plus annual salary, a career turning creative ideas into video games and data visualizations, even a Bronze Star in the U.S. Army — all these and much more can come your way if you learn skills in the expanding world of computer coding.

An auditorium packed with family, friends and educators gathered this weekend in Las Vegas to celebrate 100 new graduates from Clark County Acceleration Academies — the biggest class since the program began in 2018.

It wasn’t so long ago that Bo Falcon felt lost, struggling with mental health issues, abusing drugs and straining to put one step in front of the other. As for high school, Bo says, “I was actively not doing any work at my old school, not caring.”

As her daughter struggled to find way through many challenges — running away, dropping out of school, becoming a teen mom — Joanne Vasquez had a powerful sense of déjà vu.

Justin Galvan grew up rough, in a neighborhood riddled with drugs and crime and a family that had seen more than its share of trouble. When he was in middle school, he and some friends were out at 3 a.m. on Thanksgiving morning.

Deonna Parker will be the first to tell you that she has made life-altering choices — some good, some bad — during her high school years.

By any standard, Ricardo Burciaga had a long commute to school. Even as he pursued his high school diploma at Wichita Acceleration Academies, Ricardo also held down a full time construction job — three hours away in Kansas City.

When it comes to describing her experience at Lowcountry Acceleration Academy, LaDayshia Tavelle doesn’t mince words.

Life coach Maya Cotton invited a group of graduation candidates to take a break from their studies and join her in a circle. Outside, the city of Odessa and the oilfields of West Texas spread out far below the 6th floor conference room.