ADELANTO, Calif. (VVNG.com) — Adelanto High School has been awarded the prestigious Golden Bell Award for its Heritage Program, which aims to empower African American students through college readiness.
AHS Principal Ebony Purcell and Heritage Coordinator Dr. Aleka Jackson-Jarrell recently received the award at a ceremony in Anaheim, cheered on by Victor Valley Union High School District leadership. The California School Boards Association awards the Golden Bell to a handful of schools and districts across the state each year, recognizing excellent educational programs.
Adelanto was the only school in the High Desert to earn a Golden Bell this year.
“Supporting students and families in their pursuit of higher education has been a transformative experience for all involved,” Jackson-Jarrell said. “The Heritage Program is driven by a commitment to heartwork, and I am privileged to be part of Adelanto High and VVUHSD in fostering more equitable learning opportunities within our community.”
Adelanto High started Heritage in 2022 with the support of VVUHSD Superintendent Carl Coles, Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services Dr. Ratmony Yee and the VVUHSD Board of Trustees. A major point of focus for Heritage is making sure students not only graduate but also complete A-G coursework (a set of 15 classes that qualify a student for UC or Cal State acceptance).
“Without A-G, there are four doors open to our students after graduation: the workforce, the military, community college, or trade school,” Coles said. “It is only with A-G completion that the fifth door opens, giving the student the option to attend a four-year university. Ms. Purcell and Dr. Jackson-Jarrell, along with our counselors, teachers and support staff, have done amazing work to ensure all pathways are open to our students as they prepare for life after high school.”
Heritage assists students and families with transcript reviews, grade checks, college application and financial aid application assistance, college visits, events for parents and students, and much more. The results speak for themselves.
Adelanto High’s percentage of African American grads qualifying for university acceptance was just over 8 percent in 2022. That number increased to 30.5 percent in 2023 (the first year of Heritage) and 50 percent in 2024.
“Adelanto’s percentage of Black/African American graduates who qualify for university acceptance is over six times higher than it was two years ago, which is nothing short of extraordinary,” Coles said. “This is a testament to the hard work of our staff as well as the support of our Board of Trustees.”
With the Heritage pilot program’s success at Adelanto, VVUHSD expanded the program to its other two large high schools, Silverado and Victor Valley. In one year, the district-wide A-G completion for African-American students rose by more than 16 points, from 25.6 percent to 41.9 percent.
As Heritage was expanded to all three high schools, the district also added Legacy, a similar program aimed at assisting long term English learners. Both programs are part of VVUHSD’s broader focus on A-G completion for all students, an initiative that has already shown results. In one year, the percentage of students who were A-G compliant rose 12 points, from 34.5 percent to 46.5 percent.
Heritage has been a key component in this drastic district-wide improvement, while also closing the college readiness gap for minority students.
“The Heritage Program has become a cornerstone of our commitment to equity and academic excellence,” Purcell said. “The program has been embraced systemically on our campus, with counselors, teachers, and administrators working collaboratively to help students level up and achieve their goals. We are honored to have the transformative impact of Heritage recognized with the CSBA Golden Bell Award.”
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