'A fresh chance': Marion County Acceleration Academies celebrates its first graduating class

Editor's note: This story has been revised to correct some inaccurate references to the school. It is Marion County Acceleration Academies.

The first ever graduating class from Marion County Acceleration Academies — a non-traditional, tuition-free public high school — received Florida Department of Education diplomas in a commencement ceremony at the school April 11.

Margarete Talbert-Irving, Marion County Public Schools deputy superintendent of curriculum & instruction, invited the graduates to “turn their tassels” after she conferring their diplomas.

Dylan Dotten, 20, one of the 26 graduates, already had a Certificate of Completion from a local high school but “had to have the diploma” to get the job he wanted with the city of Ocala.

Certificates of Completion “are issued when students have not met all state-mandated testing requirements to graduate” according to a Marion County Public Schools official.

Dotten found a job that allowed him to work and attend Marion Acceleration Academies. Christopher Bennett, a career coach with the school and diploma presenter, said Dotten was a success story.

Stephanie and Joe Dotten, Dylan’s parents, and Dustin Dotten, 15, his brother, were on hand for the graduation.

“(This is) fantastic. Acceleration Academies helped (Dylan) achieve his goal,” Stephanie Dotten said.

Dustin Dotten was “very proud” of his big brother, who spoke at the ceremony.

Marion County Acceleration Academies is located in The Cascades business center on East Silver Springs Boulevard. It opened in 2022 and is part of a network with schools in six states, according to a press release from the Acceleration Academies organization.

The school here is a public school in partnership with MCPS and open to students free of charge up to age 21, the press release states.

“The academies re-engage students who have struggled in traditional schools for a variety of reasons, including the need for the flexibility to work full time or care for children and older family; the need for more one-on-one attention; or a desire to accelerate their studies in order to graduate early and move forward with plans for college, military service, work or athletic careers,” according to the press release.

“Acceleration Academies provide a blend of independent online study and in-person academic, social and emotional support,” the press release states.

An MCPS official stated: “MCPS receives funding for students who complete the program. FLDOE provides those funds to MCPS and we then turn a portion of those funds over to Acceleration Academy.”

The Acceleration Academies press release includes the stories of two of the graduates: a man who found the remote at home studies offered by the school allowed him to care for his mother, who is battling cancer; and a woman who preferred the calm environment at Acceleration Academies to a traditional school setting where she feltoverwhelmed.

Valtena Brown, regional vice President of Acceleration Academies, said the graduates “will go to great places.”

Mark Graves, co-founder of Acceleration Academies, said at the ceremony that the event and diploma were “recognition of hard work by the graduates” who “did not give up on themselves.”

Keyana Lyde, director of Acceleration Academy in Ocala, told the graduates at the ceremony that earning their diplomas provided “tools to overcome adversity” and the milestone “will lead to another success and yet another.”

Lyde thanked MCPS Superintendent Diane Gullett, Talbert-Irving and colleagues “for helping us give these young people a fresh chance at high school and the brighter future a diploma provides.” Several school board members and other school officials attended the ceremony.

Graduate Joy Thomas, 18, said she plans to attend Marion Technical College, aiming toward a career in cosmetology. Fellow graduate Mercedes Wade, 19, whose education was interrupted by effects of the COVID pandemic, is focused on college and possibly a career as a veterinarian.

Wade, who attended the school for about a year, said her mother, Erin Roney, encouraged her to finish and earn her diploma.

Graduate D’artangnon Swanson, 19, left traditional school in his senior year. He plans to pursue further education and has an interest in the healthcare field, possibly a career as a physical therapist. Or he may join the military.

Deven Long, 21, and Sierra Hill, 20, were also part of the graduating class.

Wayne Livingston, a retired MCPS principal who knew most of the graduates, said he felt “like a father” seeing the graduates receive their diplomas at the ceremony.

Meanwhile, Sakemia Jones accepted an honorary diploma on behalf of her son, Lezarius Graham, 17, who died in June 2023 as a result of a shooting.

“I am very proud of Lazarius. He was considering joining the military, “Jones said as she held a picture of her son and his diploma.

Spring 2024 Graduates1. Amiyah Desiree Bennett2. Vanessa Jo-Ann Canty3. Angel Miamin Castillo4. Madisen Leigh Cauthen5. Logan Paul Bennett-Combee8. Dylan Joseph Dotten9. Jerrin Dantay Gardner10. Lezarius Amirre Graham - Honorary11. Ryleigh Morgan Gonce13. Keresa Elizabeth Hegwood14. Sierra Lynn Hill15. Kaleah Anais Holder17. Deven Tyrelle Long19. Katy Elizabeth Pineda Ramos20. Wendy Paola Prieto-Perez21. Tristan Erich Skipper22. D'artangnon Andre Swanson23. Joy SamanthaThomas24. Walter Lee Turner26. Mercedes Alaina Wade27. Cejay Dewayne Williams

This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: Marion County Acceleration Academies holds its first commencement ceremony