SOUTHLAND COLLEGE PREP CELEBRATES BEING EXEMPLARY

Dr. Blondeen Davis, CEO at Southland College Prep, during the announcement of the Exemplary rating on Wednesday, Dec. 14th. Photo provided by Southland College Prep.
Dr. Blondeen Davis, CEO at Southland College Prep, during the announcement of the Exemplary rating on Wednesday, Dec. 14th. Photo provided by Southland College Prep.

SOUTHLAND COLLEGE PREP CELEBRATES BEING EXEMPLARY

BY TIA CAROL JONES

The Southland College Prep Charter High School opened in 2010 with 121 ninth grade students, with a vision to create and refine a model that could be replicated and established a new standard of academic achievement and college success.

Robert Lane, Director of College Admissions and Alumni
Relations, announced the freshman class had the highest growth in the school’s history. Andrew Broy, President of Illinois Network of Charter Schools, made the announcement about the rating and presented a proclamation.

“Twelve years ago, I met Dr. Davis, who had a vision for this
school that seemed audacious when I first heard it: A place of academic excellence, a place of community and a place where young people’s lives would be changed, was what her vision was. We’re here 12 years later to celebrate the realization of that,” Broy said.

Dr. Blondeen Davis, CEO of Southland College Prep, reflected
on the school’s history and the last couple of years when the
school operated during the COVID-19 pandemic. Davis acknowledged the last three years were the most unusual of her career, with the freshman and sophomore classes spending the last two years 100 % on zoom, which was necessary but not as effective as in-person instruction. Then, the school went to hybrid learning, with some students in-person and some students doing remote learning.

“We went through the storm and all we’ve ever done and all
we will continue to do is whatever we can do to help you to have
a bright future,” Davis said, congratulating the students for persevering. “I think that is a reflection of who you are, your integrity, your courage, but it’s also a reflection that you have dreams and hopes of your own and you know that Southland is just the vehicle that is going to help you to go on to have a successful future.”

Davis considers the faculty, students and staff of Southland
College Prep Charter High School a family. She told the students how proud she was of them and the hard work they have been putting in. Jeffrey Johnson, Board Member of the Matteson School District 162, agreed stating, “The school getting all these ratings is because you all have been putting in the work, making your march toward your future.”

Davis took the time to acknowledge the teachers and thanked
them. She added that she doesn’t believe in miracles, she just believes in good teachers. The teachers at Southland teach to mastery. Southland, in addition to its regular class schedule, also has Saturday classes. “We know there are no short-term solutions. Everything we do here is about the journey, it’s about the long-term, it’s about your futures,” she said.

Davis told the students they were courageous and determined
and the rating was the reward. Davis believes the ratings validate
to other educators and herself, but what means most to parents is having students get accepted to college, as well as the students getting scholarships for college.

“It also validates that our young people, regardless of color,
can compete as equals. I believe that whole heartedly; given
the same quality of education, the same standards and the same
opportunities,” Davis said.

For more information about Southland College Prep Charter
High School, visit sd162.org/Southland.

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