42 Graduates Will Start A New Journey Thanks To Venture High School

It’s been business as usual at Venture High School even though the school year is ending in the most unusual of circumstances.

Despite the school closure because of the COVID-19 pandemic, students are still graduating from Venture, the district’s high school for students who thrive in non-traditional settings.

Eighteen students graduated from Venture in March. In April that number jumped to 24, giving the school 42 graduates since schooling returned with the At-Home Learning Hub.

“We’ve really worked with all our students, but especially our seniors who were really looking forward to graduating early or on time,” Venture High School principal Greg Meeks said. “They were getting a little antsy as they were trying to catch up or meet their goals. Through our teachers supporting them and us being flexible, we’ve been able to get that done.”

While Venture isn’t a traditional high school, students do have traditional graduations on a weekly basis. That’s changed since the closure. There are no ceremonies, but students do complete their schooling. They are graduated out through the PEIMS system and can get their transcripts.

Meeks said the students will have an opportunity for a graduation ceremony, though, as students will get to walk along with the classmates from their home campus.

“The only thing that’s really been impacted is our ceremonial things,” Meeks said. “As far as our students, they’ve been working. Our teachers have been answering questions day and night. They have been doing all they can to ensure that our students are successful.”

Ever M. is hoping to wrap up his Arlington ISD career next week and join the more than 5,000 students who have graduated from Venture. He just has to wrap up an astronomy class, and he’ll be done.

“It’s been quick and easy,” said Ever, who wants to go to a trade school and be a welder. “Doing it this way has been helpful for me because I get less distracted. It’s been really quiet, and I’ve been able to work at my own pace. I feel more responsible at Venture and know I can achieve my goals, which I did.”

Having the support at Venture has been vital to Ever as he’s trying to graduate. Meeks said it’s taken on an added emphasis since schools closed.

“We’ve had a ton of different resources and our teachers have offered social and emotional support,” Meeks said. “For some of our students, this is a really stressful time and teachers aren’t just giving academic support. They’re also trying to guide them through the next steps as they graduate.”