In the midst of disparaging news about a failing school district and school closures, there is a beacon of light, a ray of hope.

Communication and Media Arts High School [[CMA) just dodged the latest attempt to permanently shut its doors when it was among 18 schools removed from the DPS school closure list this week.

In spite of boasting one of the highest graduation rates in the country and some of the highest academic scores for any urban area in the state, DPS has repeatedly slated CMA, a model school, for closure simply to balance their budget.

In spite of plans to close to the school, students had hope and entered a submission to NBC's School Pride, a show in the format and likeness, of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, but for schools.

Today [[Thursday afternoon), a bus and stream of cars with the crew rolled up and surprised the students through use of mock fire drill.

The fire alarm went off this morning at Communication & Media Arts school in Detroit but it took only seconds for the first students to rush out the building to realize this was no fire drill.


They rushed out clapping, whooping and shouting, realizing what they'd been hoping for had come true: They were selected by a national reality show to receive a school makeover.

"This is not a fire," said Tom Stroup, one of the four hosts of the show, drawing laughs from the crowd. "We're here to help you renovate your school."

"You want to know why we're here?" Stroup yelled from a flat-bed truck. "We heard that this school has a 97% graduation rate. That is unheard of."


For full article:
"Detroit school to get reality TV makeover"
http://www.freep.com/article/2010061...ty-TV-makeover

Detroit’s CMA has consistently rivaled Renaissance, and often supersedes Cass Tech. Since its 1992 founding, the school has maintained an exceptional learning environment undermined only by a lack of funds and resources from DPS. CMA cultivated an atmosphere that nurtured the seeds of success that were already within us.

Low expectations from teachers, families, and the community [[blatantly displayed by several posters) have proven to be one of the contributors to underachievement among some other DPS schools. Not only does CMA maintain a 97-98% graduation rate, but many of us have gone on to be doctors, lawyers, journalists, law enforcements officers, etc.

I attended the community meeting, and spoke with show producers. They are in need of volunteers of every skill level [[from amateur painters to contractors).

If you will be available during the first week of August, and would like to volunteer for one or more days, please visit the School Pride Volunteers page.
http://schoolpridevolunteers.com/form_detroit.php

Congratulations, CMA family and Detroit!

“Back in Business…Reclaiming Our Throne!” – motto of my graduating class, the CMA Class of 2005.

Detroit, let's reclaim our throne. "[As] We Hope For Better Things; [We] Shall Rise From the Ashes!" - motto of the City of Detroit.