"¡Buenos Dias!!" "¡Buenos Dias!!"
While touring Gowan Science Academy, Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne was greeted in Spanish by a primary class walking outdoors.
The kids didn't know it yet, but it was a very special Thursday morning for GSA. Horne visited to recognize the school for its academic achievement.
As he walked around the school grounds, Horne stopped to speak with a few classrooms, including middle schoolers in the new Innovation Lab, fifth graders in Ennery Bravo's class and first graders in Chellie Gordon's class.
"So I came here to honor your school because you guys have much higher proficiency rates than our state average, and I’ll be presenting a plaque to your principal that she’ll put on the wall that says 'Exemplary Academic Achievement Award presented to Gowan Science Academy recognizing progress, resilience and the pursuit of excellence making remarkable strides towards academic success,'" he told one class. "And since you guys are doing so well academically, I know that you’re our future leaders.”
Soon after, he presented Principal Alissa Guevara, Assistant Principal Jamie Elder and student ambassadors, Taylor Tew and Sophia Delgadillo, with a commemorative plaque.
"If you're wondering why did I come to this school, their reading and writing proficiency is 51% compared to 40% statewide, and their math proficiency is 56% compared to 31% statewide," Horne said. "That is a tremendous achievement and it's great to celebrate success."
After touring the school, KAWC asked what stood out to Horne from the visit.
"Obviously the students are very alert," he said. "They're having a good time learning. It's a colorful place. But the real test is the test scores, and the test scores there are just really soaring above the rest of the state."
The Yuma Sun also asked Horne what's changing in Yuma schools that's making Yuma excel.
"That's kind of an interesting question," he replied. "One of the things I notice with respect to immigrant students is along the border, they have the Mexican habit of being respectful and they do well. If they come up to Phoenix, they're under the bad influence of the Anglos, and they don't do well. So it's really good being a border town in order to have well, well-mannered students who can learn."
After Horne left campus, Principal Guevara elaborated on what makes Gowan special.
"We have an amazing community here at Gowan," she said. "It starts first with our staff and our students and our families. There is so much family support. We are great at communication both ways and so we reach out for assistance and things and our families help along with community members.
"So one example is our science fair. We have our science fair coming up next week and we have judges from across the community that are coming to help judge those projects. If you ask, they will they will help and so really just building those community ties is what makes our school so special."
Reporting for this article is supported by a grant from the Arizona Local News Foundation.
