Family Atmosphere, Small Class Sizes Drive Student Success at DPSCD’s Ben Carson High School
Mahbuba Sumiya, a recent graduate of DPSCD’s Ben Carson High School of Science and Medicine, is an example of a student whose hard work and tenacity, coupled with the school’s small class sizes and family atmosphere, equated to success. “I transferred to Ben Carson (from another DPSCD high school) because it’s a small community with a significant focus on health care and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math). I felt like Ben Carson would allow me to pursue those passions in an intimate learning environment.”
With her hard work, determination, and class leadership, Mahbuba earned an early acceptance into Harvard University, one of the world’s most prestigious schools. While Mahbuba prepares for the next steps in her education in the fall, Ben Carson success stories include a legacy of success and current students such as Rachel Kabala.
Rachel, who will be a senior when the 2021-2022 school year begins on September 7, 2021, became a leading student voice in the charge to educate and model to her classmates and the community the importance of receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.
This spring, she was one of the visual faces and voices of the District’s Teens for Vaccines campaign. She also encouraged others to get vaccinated during several media interviews. Her willingness to be a leader speaks volumes about her character. It also reflects the family atmosphere at Ben Carson which fosters students to share the school’s health academy pathway for the greater good.
Rachel's advocacy also included authoring a story for the DPSCD website, calling upon her fellow students to “...step up, get vaccinated and encourage our loved ones to also get vaccinated,” as she wrote during the 20-21 school year. You can read her full story here. Rachel is just getting started!
“We are a school that offers great opportunity,” said Dr. Sean Lively, Ben Carson’s principal. “We offer small class sizes, a health academy pathway (which includes full certifications for medical assistants and certified nursing programs) and a family atmosphere.” Ben Carson sits on the campus adjacent to the Detroit Medical Center where many professionals participate on the school's advisory board. Join the Ben Carson Family, watch a few more excerpts here.
And remember, as Mahbuba and Rachel have demonstrated, when student rise, we all rise! To see other DPSCD school spotlight videos, please visit www.youtube.com/c/DetroitPublicSchoolsCommunityDistrict/videos