Academic signing day puts focus on continuing education

TAMPA (FOX 13) - It was signing day at a Tampa high school, but it wasn't for basketball, football, or track. It was for academics.

"Athletics are great, but academics is going to be the vehicle by which they have opportunities," said Dr. Kim D. Moore, principal at Middleton High School, which serves several of Tampa's inner-city neighborhoods.

The event was co-sponsored by Hillsborough Community College. Nearly 200 Middleton seniors attended signing day to sign up for HCC. 

Many of them will be the first in their family to attend college.

"I didn't see the purpose of it. I just wanted to get out of high school and that was it.," said Geoshelle Sanchez, a Middleton senior who might have closed the door on college forever when she had a baby two years ago. Instead, with the help of teachers here, she's at signing day. "I didn't want her  to grow up without things I went without," she said as she showed us a picture of her daughter. 
     Moore credits things like good teachers, tutoring programs, and after school workshops with pulling the graduation rate up to 80 percent, from less than 50 percent  just five years ago. "I put everythng into it and I'm proud of myself and proud of everyone around me," said Middleton senior Gabriela Fernandez. She celebrated with her classmates. This signing day may not have been for sports, but  there was excitement  all around.