Family, friends and the educators who helped them at every step celebrated the most recent class of graduates from Bethel Acceleration Academies at an Aug. 9, 2022 commencement ceremony.

With a crowd of school district leaders, educators, students — and Odessa area TV and newspaper outlets — in attendance, Acceleration Academies of Ector County celebrated a new campus and new opportunities for learners seeking a flexible, personalized path to their high school diplomas.

Photos by Martha Asencio Rhine

At Ector County Acceleration Academies, educators care not only for high school students but also the most special people in their lives — their babies.

When Maria Jose Paz’s mother died, she left behind a fervent wish: that her daughter complete her high school education and take the first step toward a better tomorrow.

Like many Acceleration Academies students, 17-year-old Kendell Mast had a hard time thriving in a large, crowded high school. It was too easy to fall behind in her coursework and feel lost in the crowd.

Archie Jackson Jr. and Nick Porter are friends who go way back — and have helped each other find a better way forward with support from the caring educators at Lowcountry Acceleration Academy.

Sonia Casadiego (right) and her granddaughter Sofia

These days, 2020 Sarasota Acceleration Academies grad Mya Kirce works three jobs: home health aide, brain trauma caregiver and certified nursing assistant trainee at a rehab center. “I’ve always known that I like to help people.”