Texas Tech University High School Graduates More Than 200 Students

In a highly anticipated return to normal, more than 200 students across the globe celebrated high school graduation on May 22 from Texas Tech University High School, part of TTU K-12. The kindergarten through 12^th grade program is part of Texas Tech University's Division of eLearning & Academic Partnerships.

Since the program is self-paced, students complete high school requirements throughout the year. TTU K-12 hosts an on-campus commencement ceremony each spring for those who want to mark the milestone by walking the stage and meeting some of their classmates. The COVID-19 pandemic changed that in 2020, when the ceremony finally had to be canceled for health and safety reasons. Saturday's ceremony welcomed students from both 2020 and 2021 graduating classes.

The school has graduated 4,817 students since its inception by the Texas Legislature in 1993 as a special purpose district, assisting those students for whom a traditional school was not an option.

To the 30 students attending in person and the hundreds more viewing by live stream, graduation speaker Aliza S. Wong, Ph. D., professor and associate dean in Texas Tech's Honors College, told the students she would not impart words of wisdom to them, because they were the ones who had to make the adjustments and show the adults how to manage during the global pandemic.

“In this year of global pandemic, in this year of unrest, in this year of change, it's not the adults who provided inspiration and hope, it's you all. It's not the adults who taught us to be patient and kind and generous, it's you all. It's not the adults who jumped into online education, it's you all who taught us to use mute buttons, that we do also have to get dressed from the waist down. It was you all who really were the leaders during this difficult time,” Wong said.

The Class of 2021 comprises 209 students who come from 11 states in the U.S. and four foreign countries: Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, New Jersey, New Mexico (2), New York, Ohio, Washington, West Virginia, Texas (86), Utah, Mexico, Columbia, Kuwait and Brazil (109).

Caitlyn Gutierrez, of Seguin, Texas will go to the University of Alabama to major in Psychology with a minor in Early Childhood Development.

“The in-person graduation was great! My favorite part was having everyone come together from all different places to all graduate with one another as a TTU K-12 community,” she said. “Everyone was so nice and supportive as well. It really felt like such a special day! Being able to have my family there was very special to me.”

The highest GPA in this year's graduating class is 4.47, and there are 27 students with a 4.0 GPA or higher. The average GPA is 3.46. The average overall SAT score is 1325, and the average ACT composite score is 29.

Ishika Bhatia, a graduate from Katy, Texas, is planning to become a lawyer. She was excited to be able to come to Lubbock to walk for commencement. 

"This last year was a wild ride for me, to say the least,” Bhatia said. “TTU K-12 gave me the opportunity to complete my senior year smoothly and get ready for my next four years in college. Thank you to all the wonderful teachers, my counselor, and the rest of the staff for supporting me and all the other students so well," she said

This year's graduates will attend, among others, Texas Tech University, Arizona State University, Auburn University, Blinn College, Brookhaven College, Georgia State University, Harvard College, Indiana University, Loyola University, Lubbock Christian University, New York University, North Central Texas College, Oklahoma State University, Southern Methodist University, Texas A&M, University of Alabama, University of Arkansas, University of Mary-Hardin Baylor, University of Texas at Arlington, and University of Texas at Tyler.

This graduating class even has a National Merit Scholarship Finalist, Grant Taylor, a recent transfer to TTU K-12. He has been awarded a full scholarship to Texas Tech University.

Wong related the story of how her uncle came to America from China in the 1960s, and eventually he was able to bring her father. Her father was born sometime in the 1940s, but the records were burned after the Japanese invaded. She emphasized how important one's stories are to keep close and continue telling.

“You carry the stories with you – your mother, your father, friends, family, your grandparents. You carry with you the story of a global pandemic that stole millions of lives. That's your legacy to carry with you. Stories are not luxuries. Stories are a matter of life and death. You all, as the class of COVID-19, know this better than anyone. Stories are a matter of life and death. Education is a matter of life and death.”

Beckoning the graduates to stand and face their families, Wong continued, “These people are the stories you have inside of you. What shoulders you've had to stand on because they've been broadened by a global pandemic. And how tall they were to sustain us and keep us happy and full of pride and joy seeing your progress, your achievements, your successes and your failures. Now you carry on your shoulders their stories. You carry on your shoulders their promise, and we are so incredibly proud of you for telling that narrative.”