East Bay high school graduates celebrate becoming 1st in their families to go to college

By Luz Pena

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    OAKLAND, California (KGO) — In the East Bay, high school seniors celebrated a huge milestone, revealing which four-year university they will be attending in the fall.

This day was not just a win for the 77 seniors at Cristo Rey de la Salle East Bay High School in Oakland, but also a moment of reflection.

“It was a really big milestone because four years ago I saw the class of 2022 from the bleachers up here just come out and name their colleges and I was like ‘Oh, I want to do that one day,'” Belen Islas said.

Shouting from the podium where they will be going to college was about changing the course of their families.

“I’m one of the first ones in my family to graduate so I feel like that is a big thing,” Da’Miyon Hardiman said.

“I’m first generation when it comes to my family. I’m the oldest of three,” Islas said.

Lilia Islas spoke about her daughter Belen’s accomplishment and what it meant to their family.

“Que si se puede! Yes you can! Yes, it’s not just for us but for all the family we leave behind,” she said.

For four years, every student that’s graduated from Cristo Rey de la Salle High School has been accepted to a four-year university, all applying to at least 10 universities.

Since their freshman year, mentors like teacher Cody Armstrong were part of the team tasked to lead these students.

“They are getting that tutoring throughout the process, and they know what schools they know how to get their financial aid, and they are so prepared,” Armstrong said. “For these students, this education could mean the change of the tide for the family for the next generation and the next generation.”

Cristo Rey de la Salle High School sustains itself through a corporate work-study program and philanthropy. So part of these students’ job is to work once a week at large corporations.

“I maxed out all the applications I could do. I did 24 applications,” Da’Miyon Hardiman said.

Out of those 24 universities, he got accepted into 19.

Hardiman’s ambition is already inspiring his grandmother, Nicole Williams.

“I’m graduating high school,” Williams said. “Yes adult school. Yes I wanted to graduate with my grandson.”

Islas is hoping to inspire the next generation.

“I just hope I can be an inspiration for my siblings,” she said. “I hope they see what I did and do better.”

Islas will be going to CA Lutheran University to double major in music performance and production recording. She says that her dream changes.

“That changes all the time but right now I have hopes of becoming a big music producer,” Islas said. “Big in the sense that people like the work I do and I work ethnically and morally for the music industry.”

Hardiman will be going to DePaul University in Chicago to study Psychology and a minor in secondary social sciences.

“My dream is well first is to finish college that is my biggest thing, just finish college and helping people, I like helping people,” he said. “Whatever I do as long as I’m helping people, I’ll be fine.”

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