MACON, Ga. — At Southwest High School in Bibb County, more students are finishing high school. Their graduation rate climbed from about 80% last year to 84% this year.
Class of 2025 counselor Adasia Wheeler said Southwest High School has come a long way since she started in 2021.
"When I first started here, our graduation rate was in the 60s," she said.
And over the last year alone, the rate climbed 4%. Wheeler said students at risk for not graduating are usually chronically absent. She said the school's homework accountability program, their in-school credit recovery program and support from staff make a difference.
"A lot of students are facing poverty or community violence things are going on in the neighborhoods,” Wheeler said. “Southwest is their safe zone.”
Kalia Gosha is a Southwest senior. She said since she was young, her mom preached the importance of graduating high school.
"I come from a family who, they got their GEDs instead of graduating,” she said. “So that was pretty much the norm in our family. And I know my mom, she was like, 'If you do anything, you have to graduate high school.'"
She said the easy access to academic counselors like Wheeler is helping her through the year.
"I can just go to the office and walk in and say, 'Hey, Miss Wheeler, this is what I need. Can you help me out?'” Gosha said. “So, it means a lot because it makes the process way easier. It's already difficult with the college applications and the scholarships so just having that support system behind me to help me, it means a lot to me."
Principal Bernard Young said making the school a fun place for students is another way to encourage attendance and increase the graduation rate.
Wheeler said the work from administration, teachers, staff and custodians make Southwest a safe space for students to thrive. Bibb County's overall graduation rate for 2024 is at 87.04% which is above the state average of 85.4%.