Dad & Grad | How one NEISD student earned his diploma despite early obstacles

The holidays look a lot different this year for many families, but for 18-year-old Nicholas Cervantes, 2020 has given him one of the greatest gifts. 

“It just feels like I’ve accomplished something really big and it was a long journey. That’s really what it is,” he explained.

This month, Cervantes earned his high school diploma as a winter graduate from the Academy of Creative Education (ACE). 

“Before I got here to this school, I was falling very behind in school. I was 16 and I found out I was going to be a father to my daughter. It was really hard to catch up especially knowing what I had coming to me,” Cervantes said.

His teachers motivated him to stay in school and to keep pushing, no matter what.  

“It just made me feel they cared. I remember one time I had got a flat tire on the way here and they had someone come pick me up to get here. So, it just makes me feel they care a lot about me being here in school,” Cervantes added.

He said that he’s proud to have the whole family join him, especially his daughter Avianna, on the special day. 

His grandmother, Rosalinda Molina, said that even when Nicholas was thrown many obstacles, he persevered.

“It means the world to me. I didn’t graduate and he is my third grandson that I’m going to see graduate,” Molina said.

Juan Sepulveda, Nicholas’ brother, said the two have always had each other’s back and that he is extremely proud of this achievement.

“He’s just the greatest brother anyone could have. He means a lot to me and seeing him graduate makes me really happy,” Sepulveda said.

Cervantes’ wife Kathryn is also an ACE 2019 graduate and said that everything they’ve been able to accomplish has all been for their soon-to-be one-year-old daughter.

“It’s really amazing that we’re both going to be able to show her that we both graduated. We both did it despite the fact that having her so young. We’re really proud of him,” she explained while holding Avianna in her arms.

Now, Nicholas plans to join the military and complete a full twenty years. 

His mother, Jessica Sepulveda, couldn’t be prouder because it hasn’t always been easy.

“Me just supporting three kids on my own, to see him graduate and be the second child of mine to graduate. Now, him going to the Navy and he has his own family. I’m so happy for him,” she explained.

Nicholas said that he will forever be grateful to the school that always believed in him.

“ACE and the teachers and students have always welcomed me with open arms. They just made me feel real comfortable coming here so I just enjoyed coming to school every day. For other people I would just say, you have to keep your head up and you have to keep going because at the end of the day you’re never going to finish if you don’t start!”

To learn more about North East ISD’s Academy of Creative Education, click here: https://www.neisd.net/ace

Because #NEISDcares!