YES Prep Senior Signing Day Program 2024

UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON FERTITTA CENTER

2023 Senior Signing Day | 1

ABOUT Since 1998, YES Prep Public Schools has redefined what is possible in public education. With over 18,000 college-bound students across 23 campuses, we are a system of high-performing public charter schools proving that students from under-resourced communities can achieve at the highest academic levels. Our exceptional results demonstrate that better outcomes are not only possible, but also probable, when schools systems build a culture of high expectations and create effective support systems to ensure that student achievement is at the forefront of every decision made.

North Central North Forest

Northline Airline Northwest White Oak

Northbrook MS Northbrook HS

Northside Fifth Ward

East End

West

Gulfton Southside

Hobby

Brays Oaks

Elementary Secondary

1 | YES Prep Public Schools

Southeast

Southwest

MORNING PROGRAM PRE-SHOW ENTERTAINMENT SENIOR DECLARATIONS East End Secondary & Northline Secondary North Central Secondary & North Forest Secondary West Secondary & Northside Secondary Northbrook High

AFTERNOON PROGRAM HALFTIME SHOW ENTERTAINMENT SENIOR DECLARATIONS Southeast Secondary & White Oak Secondary Fifth Ward Secondary & Southside Secondary Southwest Secondary & Brays Oaks Secondary Gulfton Secondary

#YESPrepSSD

#YESPrepSSD24

CLASS OF 2024 SENIOR STATS*

1,631 Seniors

18,120

College Apps Submitted

10,563

110

300

64

AP Scholars

IMPACT Scholars+

680

Seniors Earning College Credit on AP Exams *The senior stats were pulled on April 25, 2024. +Info on program, visit yesprep.org/IMPACT

3 | YES Prep Public Schools

College Acceptances

Alumni Scholarship Recipients

Brays Oaks Secondary Principal: Selina Hall 12th Grade Chair: Faye Roohi Director of College Counseling: Jeevan Moses College Counselors: Jada Ceasar, Faye Roohi, Maggy Goergen

114

Seniors Class of 2024

1,465

College Applications Submitted

East End Secondary Principal: Kaitlan Peterson 12th Grade Chair: Kerrie Alford Director of College Counseling: Jessica Trejo College Counselors: Selena Tully, Laura Martinez

126

Seniors Class of 2024

1,258

College Applications Submitted

2023 Senior Signing Day | 4

Fifth Ward Secondary Principal: Kenya Pinkard 12th Grade Chair: Gemer Ellis, Ja’Qualan Keal Director of College Counseling: Stacy Thompson College Counselors: Nicholas Terrell, Kara Thompson

98

Seniors Class of 2024

1,005

College Applications Submitted

Gulfton Secondary Principal: Cintia Arenas 12th Grade Chair: Michelle Mata Director of College Counseling: Laura Villafranca College Counselors: Ariana Martinez, Nora Torres, Johnny Gonzales

128

Seniors Class of 2024

5 | YES Prep Public Schools

1,411

College Applications Submitted

North Central Secondary Principal: Lilian Macias 12th Grade Chair: LaKeisha Fontenot Director of College Counseling: Eric Estelle College Counselors: Trayvon Battle, Danielle Gonzalez, Emil Niz

116

Seniors Class of 2024

1,253

College Applications Submitted

North Forest Secondary Principal: Naketchia Alfred 12th Grade Chair: Paul Provence Director of College Counseling: Anais Zumaya College Counselors: Ren Roreman, Latisha Ingram, Journe Dupree

110

Seniors Class of 2024

1,335

College Applications Submitted

2023 Senior Signing Day | 6

CELEBRATING 25 Y THE HISTORY OF SENIOR SIGNING DAY Senior Signing Day is YES Prep’s take on a ceremony that traditionally is reserved for star athletes playing Division 1 sports. YES Prep’s founder, Chris Barbic, and YES Prep’s first college counselor, Donald Kamentz, believed that the first founding class of YES Prep seniors deserved the same, if not more, attention.

With this commitment to publicly and proudly celebrate post-secondary commitments, Chris and Donald launched YES Prep’s inaugural Senior Signing Day in 2001. At that first Senior Signing Day, 17 graduating seniors from YES Prep Southeast Secondary declared their commitments in front of 300 students and staff members.

Since then, we’ve grown and hosted Senior Signing Day at Rice University, Minute Maid Park, Reliant Stadium, Toyota Center, and today, the University of Houston’s Fertitta Center.

Today, 1,631 seniors from 14 secondary schools will be declaring in front of more than 10,000 YES Prep students, staff and family members.

The event will also be broadcast live to watch parties at our 23 schools, so that our pre-K through 7th grade students and staff can also virtually participate in YES Prep’s most important day of the school year.

7 | YES Prep Public Schools

YEARS OF IMPACT

SSD 2014, Toyota Center

SSD 2023, NRG Stadium

SSD 2021, Rice Stadium

SSD 2010, Rice Tudor Fieldhouse

SSD 2018, Minute Maid Park

2023 Senior Signing Day | 8

Northbrook Highschool Principal: Gregory Little 12th Grade Chair: Elizabeth Walthall Director of College Counseling: Maureen Gonzalez College Counselors: Christie Nwole, Carlos Malave, Leticia Gordillo, Jose Delgado

174

Seniors Class of 2024

1,803

College Applications Submitted

Northline Secondary Principal: Brittany Mcgruder 12th Grade Chair: Alejando Bercerra Director of College Counseling: Linda Garza College Counselors: Yurisa Garcia, Gavino Portales

114

Seniors Class of 2024

9 | YES Prep Public Schools

1,257

College Applications Submitted

Northside Secondary Principal: Nicci Cole 12th Grade Chair: Alieisha Readye Director of College Counseling: Whitney Dale College Counselors: Chelsea Pitts

100

Seniors Class of 2024

1,019

College Applications Submitted

Southeast Secondary Principal: Emily Ryans 12th Grade Chair: Leigh Anne Rayburn Director of College Counseling: Yuliana Arredondo College Counselors: Tanya Guidry, Natalia Palmarini, Iris Mendez

120

Seniors Class of 2024

1,623

College Applications Submitted

2023 Senior Signing Day | 10

Southwest Secondary Principal: Addison Feind 12th Grade Chair: Aaron Harrison Director of College Counseling: Eduardo Garces College Counselors: Michael Beltran, Rocquelle Porch

123

Seniors Class of 2024

1,328

College Applications Submitted

Southside Secondary Principal: Bryce Moore 12th Grade Chair: Phillip Riddick, Felicia Walker Director of College Counseling: Anais Wright College Counselors: Aaron Harrison, Nancy Vasquez, Telana Ellis

93

Seniors Class of 2024

11 | YES Prep Public Schools

1,046

College Applications Submitted

West Secondary Principal: Sara Kaveeshwar 12th Grade Chair: Jena Edwards Director of College Counseling: Johnny Gonzales College Counselors: Jovani Olvera, Shannon Babineaux

102

Seniors Class of 2024

1,229

College Applications Submitted

White Oak Secondary Principal: Jennifer Greene 12th Grade Chair: Angelica Melgar Director of College Counseling: Juan Villereal College Counselors: Veronica Fontenot, Karla Gill, Yecenia Rojas

113

Seniors Class of 2024

1,088

College Applications Submitted

2023 Senior Signing Day | 12

REFER A FAMILY At YES Prep, every student and every family deserve the opportunity to attend a great school. Our best advocates are YES Prep families, who commit to choosing YES Prep year after year. Share your experiences with other families who are interested in the same high-quality, college ready education for their children, PK – 12.

HELP US REACH OTHER FAMILIES HOW TO GET STARTED

1. Identify a potential family to refer

2. Complete the online form at

yesprep.org/ReferAFamily

3. Get Rewarded with YES Prep swag*

SAY YES TO OPPORTUNITIES FOR EVERYONE! SCAN TO REFER A FAMILY Visit yesprep.org/ReferAFamily for full details.

*While supplies last

Make a gift to support YES Prep’s next generation of leaders!

Your gift of any amount will be DOUBLED thanks to an anonymous donor. Scan the QR code or text “SSD24” to 44-321 for more information.

Thank you to our generous sponsors of YES Prep’s Senior Signing Day!

2023 Senior Signing Day | 14

DON’T MISS ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS OR UPDATES! SCAN THE QR CODE AND FOLLOW US ON YOUR FAVORITE PLATFORM!

OUR MISSION YES Prep Public Schools empowers all Houston students to succeed in college and to pursue lives of opportunity.

15 | YES Prep Public Schools