HOUSTON – Aug. 13, 2018 – Alex Nubine waited with anticipation at Dekaney High School Saturday morning as he and about 70 other summer graduates prepared to receive their diplomas in an auditorium filled with family members and friends who came to show their support.
“I’m just excited that God has blessed me to see my son graduate,” said Nubine’s father, Bishop Chester Nubine Jr. “I am very proud of him. He has worked hard and he has done it. He is ready to get on to the next step.”
As they walked across the stage in their caps and gowns, the students were not only recognized by their families, but also by Board Trustees, Superintendent Dr. Rodney E. Watson, cabinet members and high school administrators.
Speaking for the Board of Trustees, Vice President Jana Gonzales congratulated the graduates on their will to succeed and acknowledged the importance of having a network of support as they move forward.
“Your determination to not quit and to persevere will serve you well as you enter the next phase of your lives,” Gonzales said. “You should be confident that you have everything you need to be successful at whatever you choose to do. Don’t underestimate the power of hard work, good choices and strong connections to family and friends who love and support you.”
As the graduates congregated in the hall outside the auditorium following the ceremony, Carlos Luvian, a Westfield graduate who attended Carl Wunsche Sr. High School, was joined by his father and his sister Maria Izaguirre who could hardly contain her elation.
“My heart is overjoyed,” said Izaguirre. “Words can’t explain it. It is amazing. It is the only thing that I asked him for – to graduate.”
Luvian acknowledged the role that his sister played in helping him succeed but also gave credit to staff members at Wunsche, ranging from the secretary to the principal.
“It feels amazing. It feels great, knowing that somebody cares for me,” Luvian said. ”I was actually at Carl Wunsche and they helped me finish at summer school. I had to finish what I started, so Mr. Ponce, Dr. James, Dr. Schur – they helped me a lot through the struggle. So it was a pretty great experience.”
One of three students selected to speak during the ceremony, Luvian’s closing remarks included a charge to himself and his fellow graduates to “make the right decisions and push through confidently in the next chapter of our lives.”
As for Nubine, he said he is looking forward to continuing his education. He plans to start at Lone Star College-Montgomery and then transfer to Texas State University. “Getting my degree in business and management is most definitely the next step,” he said, adding that he plans to be the “most successful man you have ever seen.”