“This is a pre-commencement commencement,” Spanish teacher Ellen Hogue tells a small group assembled in a classroom after school.  “It is Mitch’s opportunity to tell us what he has learned and how he has developed during his time at Metro.”

            The crowd that has gathered for third-year student Mitchell Rhodes’ “Gateway” would probably be intimidating to anyone. Two of his teachers, the school’s assistant principal, one of closest peers, a couple of community members who are meeting him for the first time and his parents sit at tables. If he makes the case convincingly that he is mature and independent enough to be move beyond high school classes on this December day, new doors will open to him, including the ability to take college-level courses at Ohio State. 

            The session begins with one of Mitch’s friends, who takes the podium as his advocate and tells the group about their history together – how quickly they became friends the first year of school and they have since completed projects.

            “To me, he has proven that he is able to take on new challenges,” he says.

            Mitch gets up to make his PowerPoint presentation. There are several points that he has to address. He has to share an analogy about his high school experience and answer essential questions. Then he has to demonstrate that he embodies the six key Metro habits: critical thinker, collaborator, engaged learner, inquiring learner, communicator and active and responsible decision-maker, then present SMART Goals he has to sustain and improve upon those qualities.

            First, he compares himself to the Night Elf character in the video game of Warcraft – one who had weak weapons, poor vision and wasn’t able to foresee problems. But his new tools, he says, such as “writing skills and math skills, provide me with a way to attack life.”

            He pages through his slides, explaining how his work in a Socratic Seminar showed him to be an engaged learner, how a theatrical performance in his literature class helped him master communication and how a research internship at Battelle — one of the largest scientific and technological research and development companies in the country — that trimester helped him to master inquiry.

            Just a few days earlier, Mitch had been in front of a crowd at Battelle, making an impressive presentation about what he had learned there. In addition to working with the head of the corporate newsletter, for which he composed an article about soy-based plasticizers, he did a major research project. In it, he graphed the U.S. budget for research and development over the past several decades in a variety of areas, like education, defense and space exploration, then presented them in a series of charts using Excel and talked about their correspondence to historical events.

            But he only has time to scratch the surface in explaining that experience today.

            “At different points, you talked about going back to your home school,” Hogue says to him after he completes his presentation. “How do you feel about that now?”

            “I think I’ve  learned that there are opportunities here,” he tells the group. “I’ve learned life isn’t going to be handed to you – you have to go at it. I think I’ve learned to think for myself – to take what everyone says and form my own opinions.”

            “I think you’ve made a clear case that you’ve developed the Metro Habits,” social studies teacher Jeff Elliott says. “We also learn to identify places we can become stronger. What areas are you looking to develop, Mitch?”

            “Organization is one of the hardest things I have to learn as a student. My biggest problems have had to do with that,” he tells the group.

            After a bit more grilling, Mitch is excused from the room so the group can confer about him and vote on his ability to Gateway.

            His teachers and his parents do their own reflecting on his academic growth, mostly noting how much he had changed over the course of the past two years. 

            “I had Mitch the first trimester. He wasn’t focused. He relied on his sense of humor,” says Hogue. “The difference between Mitch that first trimester and Mitch this trimester – it’s just a world of difference.”

            After a brief deliberation, the room is unanimous. They call Mitch back inside.

            “I think we all agree that you have developed beautifully,” Hogue tells him. “We all want you to move forward. You are definitely Gatewayed.”

            Everyone applauds. Mitch smiles. Kind of shy in disposition, he doesn’t say much in response, but he clearly looks relieved and happy.

            “This is so cool,” his mother beams. “I can’t even imagine going through something public like this when I was 16.”

            “You are no longer the same person,” Elliott says to him. “It’s not the fastest person in the race, but the hardest working that is the most successful, and you’ve developed those qualities.”