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Join the Movement!
Give support to a student, provide words of encouragement, or even tell your own story here at www.believe2become.org.
To congratulate the graduating Class of 2011 and recognize their tremendous success, five billboards recently went up around the City of Grand Rapids. The five billboards that are on display feature 23 graduates from Central, Creston, Ottawa Hills and Union High Schools who have overcome extraordinary obstacles to earn their high school diplomas.
These exceptional students also have their own personal stories of hard work, dedication and perseverance published on the Believe 2 Become website.
Believe 2 Become is a neighborhood initiative designed to help children succeed in school, work, and life. A collaborative effort of Grand Rapids Public Schools, Grand Rapids Student Advancement Foundation, W.K. Kellogg Foundation and Doug & Maria DeVos Foundation, B2B strives to create opportunities for students to become the people they aspire to be. The initiative also works to provide a network of support which includes summer enrichment and after-school experiences for students, workshops and mentoring for parents and positive recognition for achievements on both ends.
GRPS will be posting these students’ compelling and motivational stories here on The Rapidian. The first student featured in our series will be Michael Bates, a Central High School graduate, who learned the importance of perseverance, integrity and self discipline on his journey to graduation.
Check back frequently to read the accounts of the obstacles Michael and his classmates faced, how they were able to navigate around them, and their ambitious plans for the future.
If you wish to provide support or words of encouragement to these students, or even tell your own story, you can join the movement by visiting the Believe 2 Become website.
Congratulations, once again, to the graduating GRPS Class of 2011!
**Contribution from Joe Jones/Believe 2 Become
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