Copperas Cove's Crossroads High graduates 32

By BRITTANY FHOLER 

Cove Leader-Press 

Crossroads High School held its winter graduation ceremony Thursday evening at the Lea Ledger Auditorium. 

A total of 32 students graduated, and 28 were recognized in the ceremony Thursday evening. 

In compliance with COVID-19 protocols, attendance was limited, with one student and their family allowed in the auditorium at a time. Masks were also required by guests and for seniors unless they were walking across the stage. 

For Michael Rembert, 19, graduation was the culmination of hard work and determination. 

“I feel surprised I actually made it honestly,” Rembert said. “It’s been a long road.”

Rembert was diagnosed with a brain tumor in the 4th grade and ended up in the hospital for six months and fell behind in school. Originally a member of the Class of 2019, Rembert fell behind again after having to do virtual schooling due to migraines from his brain tumor. He ended up trying unsuccessfully to transfer his seven credits from his virtual schooling during his junior year. 

After finding out that it would take him longer to earn back those credits and earn the rest necessary to graduate, Rembert made the decision to enroll himself in Crossroads High School. He attended Crossroads for seven months and was able to complete all of the necessary classes in order to graduate. 

“Crossroads was honestly the best of both worlds,” Rembert said. “It was online school, but it was also in person at the same time, so if I had a question, I could ask my teachers, but I could do it all quickly because I like to do my work quickly and efficiently.”

Rembert said the teachers at Crossroads helped him a lot in the short time he was there. 

Rembert also worked four different jobs while in high school, which he said was difficult. He said he works at his current job from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. or even midnight and would then go home and sleep before getting up for school early in the morning. 

He said he has lots of ideas for his future. He said he might go to college for business management. 

Nakiya Wilkins, 17, is graduating early thanks to Crossroads High School. 

“I’m very nervous but happy I got to graduate a year early, and I feel excited,” Wilkins said. 

Wilkins’ mother, Christina, attended Crossroads and graduated in 2004, so Wilkins said she always wanted to attend. 

Christina said she was very proud of her daughter. 

“I held her back in first grade, so she always felt like she was behind, and she graduated a half a year early,” Christina said. 

Wilkins said she wished she had applied to Crossroads earlier. 

“To me, Crossroads is like the best school,” Wilkins said. 

Crossroads offered her a more hands on and self-paced experience. 

“I was doing my work, and it was really easy, and when I didn’t understand something, the teachers helped me a lot,” Wilkins said. “They made sure you got help and everything. It was really good, and it felt good because I wasn’t rushed or anything, and I wasn’t behind. I was just where I needed to be.”

Wilkins wants to join the Air Force and become a nurse. 

Principal Pat Crawley said he was extremely proud of the students at Crossroads High School. 

“It’s a really big deal because a lot of these guys come to us behind in credits or trying to catch up for whatever reason,” Crawley said. “Some have been out of school for quite a while. On the other hand, we have others that are excelled and graduating in less than four years, but even at that, what a spectacular feat to get out of high school within four years, and some of them are doing it within two.” 

Crossroads is an alternative high school, but School of Choice is a better way to think of it, Crawley said. 

“These kids are coming over because they want to be here. They try to come over,” Crawley said. “It’s not something they’re forced into or have to do. It’s something they want to do and a lot of them are taking great advantage of it and getting through in a hurry.” 

The students who graduated Thursday include Sierra Alicea, Prisca Alvarado, Katelyn Borego, Sebastia Burchill, Brenna Chance, Larry Dean, Jr., Christopher Diaz, Laresia Evans, Carmen Finch, Martae’ja Flanagan, Jeremiah Hall, Cortez Hogan, Angel Jimenez, Brody Luna, Autumn Lynch, Mystre Lynch, John McDowney III, Autumn Menard, Kasey Meyer, Preston Mullen, Tristan Obregon, Pearl Olson, Michael Rembert, Jordan Rivera, Emanuel Santiago, Nakiya Wilkins, Cody Willborn, Makaia Wilson, Nadia Wood, Amara Young and Danilo Zunigo-Madrid Jr.