STATE OF OPPORTUNITY. Can Kids in Michigan Get Ahead?
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This special reporting project wrapped up in May 2017. Read more.

What does a truly diverse high school sound like?

J.W. Sexton High School in Lansing

A few weeks ago I took the State of Opportunity storytelling booth to J.W. Sexton High School in Lansing. 

The school is a sand-colored art deco masterpiece. There are three floors, intricate stone work inside and out, and an auditorium that could easily host a symphony from any of Michigan's large cities along with its audience.  

But declining enrollment means this glorious building was home to a senior class of fewer than 100 students. Those seniors graduated this past weekend. Before they did, they used our storytelling booth to reflect on their education thus far, their challenges, and their successes. There are stories of seeking asylum in America, learning how to control anger, what it feels like the moment a college acceptance letter comes in the mail, and wanting a second chance. 

If you'd like the storytelling booth to travel to your community, let us know here.