When Rufus Wallace was at a traditional public school, he struggled to maintain focus. And with so many other students, it was hard for his teachers to provide the kind of one-on-one help he craved.
Transferring to Miami-Dade Acceleration Academies, he found just that. “All the teachers, they saw something in me that I didn’t see in myself,” says Rufus, who recently graduated and is planning on trade school. “They were the gasoline to my car. They kept me going.”
Particularly helpful was graduation candidate advocate Nadi Sambrana, who urged him back on track when he lost momentum.
Sometimes, he acknowledges, the love had to get tough. “Even at times when I was ready to give up, she said, ‘Don’t worry, I’m always going to be here to support you,” he says. “She was like a parent. She was on me.”
