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William Rubio is a National Honor Society member, takes multiple IB classes, holds a Commander rank in his school’s JROTC, volunteers in the community, and has a 4.2 weighted GPA. Currently a senior at Harding Senior High School, he will join the Marine Corps Reserves after graduation and aspires to attend the University of Minnesota or Carleton College to earn a degree that allows him to give back to his community.

William’s resume wasn’t always this impressive. Multiple family traumas made it difficult for him to care about getting good grades or attending school. In eighth grade, he was absent more days than he was present. Living in public housing and often worrying where his family’s next meal would come from, it wasn’t until after William’s freshman year at Harding that he recognized the important role that education could play in his future.

"I had an epiphany that I wanted to do something more in life and have an impact on society. That's when I started to do more extracurricular activities, take advanced classes and join ROTC," William said.

"When you're unfocused in life, life beats you up and puts you against the wall. I got sick of it, I wanted a sense of control in my life, and to explore my identity through these opportunities that school gave me."

William, who is Native American, didn’t embrace his heritage until he got involved in the American Indian Studies program at Harding. He learned Dakota in middle school, is now in his fourth year of learning Ojibwe, and discovered that his heritage includes both nations. Now, he hopes to show other students like him that they can do anything they set their minds to.

"This change in mindset took place and his attendance and his grades improved," said Dan Kennedy, Harding’s American Indian Studies counselor. "Until students make the personal decision to change their mindset or until their education becomes an important part of their lives, change and positive outcomes can be slow. Everyone at Harding is trying to interrupt this and provide interventions that get results and improve data."

Harding Goes All In on Improving Student Attendance

The staff at Harding take a holistic approach to improving attendance, which research shows is a pivotal piece of students’ success in school. Administrators, counselors, social workers, teachers, and the school’s attendance team all work together to create positive relationships, remove barriers, and interrupt patterns of poor attendance. Some of the strategies they use include offering incentives, making home visits, and above all, never giving up on a student’s potential to succeed.

In the 2022-23 school year, 38% of Harding students missed 20 or more days of school. That number improved to 31% last school year, and the number of students missing five days or less also improved from 22% to 29%. The attendance team is working hard to continue this positive trend this year and into the future.

"I’m here despite the challenges that I faced. I want people to understand that you can decide to change, you can change your fate, you can change your future and who you are," William said. "Once you decide to start it will be difficult to keep going, but there is a reward waiting for you. You can do anything regardless of your circumstances."

Learn more about William’s story of perseverance and his dreams for the future in this video from KARE 11’s Breaking the News: