Bridgeport

Capital Preparatory Harbor School Continues Car-Parade Graduation Format

One hundred percent of these graduates have been accepted to a four-year college.

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What was done out of necessity last year has now become a tradition at Bridgeport’s Capital Preparatory Harbor School. For the second year, its graduation ceremony was held in the format of a car-parade.

One by one, cars filled with newly anointed high school graduates rolled through the streets of Bridgeport Wednesday. It was a celebration, that was hard earned by Capital Preparatory Harbor School’s class of 2021.

“Our motto is, ‘strive for excellence in all that we do.’ So, they expect excellence. We give them excellence, and this is what we get,” said graduate Jerron Lumpkin, who is headed to Nichols College.

Fifty-two students received their diplomas Wednesday, preparing them for the next step. One hundred percent of these graduates have been accepted to a four-year college. Head of School Dr. Steve Perry says this is to be expected.

“We send them to a four-year college because that’s what we do,” said Perry.

Perry says the network of Capital Preparatory schools has had a long-standing success rate of propelling students to the next level.

“We’re college preparatory school,” he said. “It doesn’t matter the color of our children. It doesn’t matter where they come from. We know where they’re going.”

They’re going to a wide range of schools, including UCONN, Wesleyan and Colgate. Students say the key to this success is simple.

“There’s two words for that. One is care and the second word is family,” said graduate Brenden Roseboro, who is headed to UCONN.

Like a parent, students describe a caring administration that motivated them to great heights.

“They made sure that I did my work. Made sure I had everything together. Made sure that my personal problems and my academic problems were being handled,” explained Suniya Crawley, who will be studying psychology at Providence College.

Students describe their years at Capital Preparatory Harbor school as challenging. Every student we spoke with said it was hard but meaningful work.

“We missed out on fun sometimes but we made it. So now is the fun. We get to taste that cake we’ve been making,” said graduate, Alanna Haley who was accepted by Barry University.

As today’s car parade concluded, families embraced, recognizing the accomplishment and the unlimited potential that lies ahead for their children.

 “I could cry. I’m so emotional. It means a lot to me,” said Shanta Crawley, as she watched her oldest child get her diploma Wednesday.

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