27J Schools

Let's hear it for our Online Academy Class of 2026!

This year's commencement at the Colorado School of Mines was a great celebration of all these students have accomplished. OLA grads, we can't wait to see what you do next!

A graduation day for the 27J history books: hundreds of journeys all culminating on the same day in the same place. For the first time, Brighton High School, SD27J, Prairie View High School, and Riverdale Ridge High School all shared a date and venue for their commencement ceremonies.

While each school's ceremony was as unique as their graduating classes, it was special to see 27J Schools unify in recognizing and celebrating the accomplishments of all the graduates. Congratulations to the Class of 2026!

This is Innovations & Options senior Marta T’s Class of 2026 Journey:

Sometimes, the true measure of a successful journey comes down to just simply not giving up. And, more than anything, that might define Marta’s high school experience.

There were times when it would have been easy to give up. In her early years of high school, she admits she struggled with motivation as she barely went to classes. Even as she finally approached her graduation at Innovations & Options, her mother’s cancer diagnosis was a new personal obstacle that could have stood in her way.

“At one moment, I thought of dropping out because of my personal life,” Marta said. “My whole senior year was a struggle because I was going back and forth [between] school and my life. But at the end, I was like, ‘oh, you know what? It's worth it.’ So I would stay. And now I'm going to my dream college.”

She’s quick to point out that she didn’t do it alone. The supportive environment of Innovations & Options teachers and staff helped her stay on the right path. She specifically pointed to counselor Lindsay Fletcher.

“She was amazing,” Marta said. “She helped me through the whole process and, as well as all the teachers, they were amazing. They helped me as well.”

As she prepares to graduate, she is still weighing a couple of college options - Metropolitan State University of Denver or University of Colorado Boulder. What isn’t up for debate is an interest in pursuing mechanical engineering as she always had a passion for hands-on activities.

When she thinks back to offering advice to her freshman self? What would she say? It’s rooted in the same determination that got her to graduation. “To keep going, to go to my classes,” Marta said. “Freshman year was really hard, especially because I didn't go to school or anything. But just to keep going because it did work out.”

This is Prairie View High School senior Kehinde O’s Class of 2026 Journey:

For Kehinde, high school came with challenges he never expected. During his freshman year, he experienced a seizure at basketball practice. Over the next four years, he had several more seizures happen at school, moments that were frightening and difficult to navigate while still balancing classes, sports, and everyday life as a teen.

Kehinde also faced struggles in the classroom. After a difficult sophomore year left him discouraged academically, he decided he wanted more for himself. He earned straight A’s and became a varsity basketball player during his junior year.

“But after that I came back better,” Kehinde shared. “And it was a blessing to make it this far.”

Through those moments, Kehinde found support in teachers and mentors at Prairie View who helped him during some of the hardest days of high school, especially after seizures happened on campus. He also credits his older brother Francis and his mom for inspiring him to keep working toward a better future.

With graduation right around the corner, Kehinde sees this milestone as proof of everything he fought through to get here.

“The beauty is in the journey of how I got here and made it to graduation,” he said. “I love every part of it, the pain and the struggles, because I’m here today.”

After graduation, Kehinde plans to attend Colorado State University to study finance while continuing to work toward his dream of owning a business and creating financial freedom for his family.

Looking back, Kehinde hopes younger students remember to trust themselves, stay true to who they are, and leave high school with no regrets.

This is Riverdale Ridge High School senior Isla R’s Class of 2026 Journey:

From the outside, Isla’s high school journey looks full of achievement. She balanced varsity basketball, cross country, dance, clubs, leadership programs, and rigorous academics while ranking in the top 10% of her graduating class. This fall, she’ll attend UC San Diego to study molecular and cellular biology on her path toward medical school.

But for Isla, one of the hardest parts of high school was learning how to believe in herself when other people did not.

As someone with big ambitions and clear goals, Isla said she often felt judged and criticized for dreaming too big. Over time, she realized that not everyone around her would support the future she saw for herself. Some friendships became difficult to hold onto, and learning to walk away from those relationships that no longer encouraged her growth became one of the biggest challenges she faced.

“I think the biggest struggle is learning to be okay with yourself,” Isla shared. “Sometimes people aren’t meant to be in your life, and they’re there to be used as a lesson to continue to grow.”

Through those experiences, Isla became more confident in who she is and what she wants. She credits much of that strength to her mom, whose perseverance and sacrifices continue to inspire the way Isla approaches her own future.

Now, with graduation being just five days away, Isla sees this next chapter as an opportunity to step outside the world she has always known and continue chasing the goals she once worried were “too big.”

“I know who I am, and I know who I want to be,” Isla said. “I’m going to continue to chase my goals even if the people around me don’t think I’m capable of achieving them.”

For Isla, graduation is not just the end of high school. It is proof that believing in yourself can take you further than the doubts of others, and her own, ever could.

This is Brighton High senior Mabel G’s Class of 2026 Journey:

It’s easy to assume that most of a high school student’s time and effort is taken up by all the things that come with school–grades, friends, sports, tests. But for Mabel and students like her, a medical condition can shift that balance and make the path to graduation a steeper climb.

Mabel has a condition called familial spastic paraplegia. “It's a long name, but it's weakness and tightness in the legs..so that's definitely made things more challenging.”

Describing her high school career as “up and down”, Mabel moved to 27J Online Academy briefly in her sophomore year before returning to Brighton High, all the while working through similar seesawing with her grades. Helping her through each challenge: a support network of family, friends and teachers.

“My mom has the same [condition], so she’s taught me a lot of how to be, how to push through it and still be strong…Even though it’s harder for me than everybody else, [I’ve been] able to break through those obstacles.”

On her friends and close circle: “They treat me like normal, you know, like they don't see anything different, and I really appreciate that.”

When it comes to the teachers who’ve been the biggest supporters on her path to graduation, Mabel shouted out Mr. Coger, Ms. Hurd, and Mr. Menninger.

“Having those teachers in my life has been really important. I don't think I would have passed their classes if they weren't as supportive as they are.”

After high school, Mabel plans to attend Metropolitan State University of Denver, to study forensic psychology, citing a love for true crime and psychology.

When asked what advice she would give to her freshman self: “Even though there's some days it's like you don't want to go–”I just want to stay home”...Just go, because it's worth it, and it'll be easier than it is right now trying to catch up and everything. So just get it all done to begin with, and then you'll have a good rest of the few years.”

This is Prairie View High School senior Amari G’s Class of 2026 Journey:

For Amari, high school has been shaped by both achievement and grief. After her dad passed away in middle school, she entered high school carrying a loss that would continue to follow her throughout the next four years. During that time, she experienced five more deaths in her family and personal life while also helping support her mom through the weight of it all.

There were moments when the grief became overwhelming. Still, Amari kept showing up. She stayed involved, pushed herself academically, and found strength in the people around her. Her close group of friends became a constant source of comfort, while teachers helped her stay on track during some of the hardest moments of her high school journey.

Now, ranked ninth in her graduating class, Amari sees graduation as something deeply personal. For her, this milestone represents not only her hard work, but the people she carries with her every day, especially her dad and grandpa, who never had the chance to graduate themselves. “So much of what I do is for them,” Amari shared. “I hope that I’m making them proud.”

After graduation, Amari will attend University of Colorado Boulder on a full-ride scholarship to study communications, a passion she discovered while interning with our 27J Schools Communications Department for three semesters.

Looking back on her journey, Amari hopes younger students remember one thing: "There's going to be a lot of obstacles thrown in your path, but don’t do the bare minimum. Believe in yourself.”