Kipp Ujima: First graduating class receives top honors

100% minority, 90% low income inner-city kids, achieving at extraordinary levels -- yup, must be a KIPP!  Kudos to KIPP Ujima in Baltimore, which just graduated its first class -- 100% of whom are going to college preparatory high schools!

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Kipp Ujima: First graduating class receives top honors
by Nakia Herring
Baltimore Times
Originally posted 6/9/2006

http://www.btimes.com/News/article/article.asp?NewsID=70185&sID=4

All 42 graduates will be attending Baltimore's top college preparatory high schools


Since August of 2002, Kipp Ujima Village Academy, whose student body is composed of entirely African-American students, celebrated their first annual promotional ceremony. The free, public, college-preparatory middle school honored 42 students at the Walters Art Museum on June 2, 2006. The keynote speaker was Congressman Elijah E. Cummings, with a special appearance by Governor Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr.

The graduating students will be attending Baltimore's finest college preparatory schools such as: Baltimore Polytechnic Institute, Western High School, Cardinal Gibbons, West Nottingham Academy Boarding School, Park School, and Baltimore Talent Development High. The students also earned more than $1.7 million in private school scholarship money.

Georgia McElroy, High School Placement coordinator for Kipp Ujima Village Academy said, “We have 100 percent going to college preparatory high schools, and we are excited about that.”

McElroy says that Kipp is unique because of the hours they keep with their students. “They are in school almost 10 hours a day. They also come to school on Saturday. I feel like more time on the task helps to bridge the gap. We also drill in their heads, since fifth grade, that they are going to college and that college is the only choice.”...