Los Graduados: New series explores Latino high school dropout issue

By John Benson, Voxxi

Filmmaker Bernardo Ruiz isn’t a high school dropout but he knows firsthand about the plight of Latino teenagers – especially immigrants – when it comes to getting a diploma.

Not only is his mother a high school Spanish teacher, but Ruiz, who was born in Mexico and grew up in Brooklyn, spent some time teaching students as part of an arts project in the New York City Public Schools.

That’s why he jumped at the chance to work with American Graduate: Let’s Make it Happen, a Corporation for Public Broadcasting initiative aimed at implementing solutions to the high school dropout crisis.

The result is two-part Independent Lens series “The Graduates/Los Graduados,” which airs October 28 and November 4 on PBS.

“They came to me about doing something on the Latino community,” Ruiz told VOXXI. “Obviously, the local community is very diverse. Oftentimes it gets painted with one broad brush in the general media. So I set about looking for a way to tell stories about students in both urban and rural districts, and also kind of showcasing the diversity of the Latino community.”

The Graduates/Los Graduados – a two-part special 

The project began two years ago when Ruiz and his small film team started examining the roots of the Latino high school dropout crisis by following the stories of six students – in New York City, San Diego, Chicago, Tulsa, Griffin, GA and Lawrence, MA – dealing with ubiquitous issues ranging from over-crowded schools and crime-ridden neighborhoods to teen pregnancy and family pressures.

Even though Ruiz felt a connection to the Latino high school dropout issue, he approached “The Graduates/Los Graduados” with the idea of letting the students drive the narrative by their own stories.

“The reason why the film works is it’s rooted in the voices of the students themselves,” Ruiz said. “Their stories aren’t really agenda driven. They’re not coming from conservative or liberal positions. These are students trying to make their way in the world.”

“Each episode of The Graduates profiles three students who were in danger of dropping out of high school,” explains the official press release.

“The first hour of the series tells the stories of three young women who, through a combination of educational and community resources, as well as supportive families, are able to surmount the obstacles that might have prevented them from completing their education.

“In the second hour, we meet three young men who have struggled with challenges such as immigration status, brushes with the law, and bullying. With a combination of community and family support, each student is able to find a program that helps him to remain in school, further his education, and get involved in his community.”

One of the subjects is Gustavo Madrigal, who moved from Mexico to Georgia when he was in the fifth grade. His undocumented status presented many barriers, the biggest of which came when he attempted to apply to college.

Madrigal told VOXXI, “Being on camera was a bit overwhelming because I was afraid of being so open. But if we’re going to lose the fear of being undocumented and live our lives, we have to actively be open. I was really glad I participated.”

Ruiz said the hardest part of “The Graduates/Los Graduados” was finding the high school dropout subjects.

The six students came about as a result of both due diligence and luck. This was nothing new to the veteran filmmaker, who directed and produced 2008’s “American Experience: Roberto Clemente” as well as “Reportero.” The latter documentary, which debuted earlier this year, provided a gripping look into the world of Mexican journalists who cover organized crime and political corruption.

The Graduates: Beyond high school dropouts

Going into “The Graduates/Los Graduados,” Ruiz said there were other, albeit less deadly, dangers. The biggest of which involved coming across as heavy-handed regarding the high school dropout issue.

Ruiz stressed the new documentary would appeal to both sides of the aisle, while safely eschewing any charter school over public school debate.

Ruiz said that if there’s an agenda at all behind “The Graduates/Los Graduados” it involved examining what solutions were currently being employed to reduce the high school dropout issue.

“The way we framed it is we looked at students on the verge of dropping out or being pushed out of schools but thanks to community support and support of mentors are on their way to graduating or have graduated,” Ruiz said.

“They’re all stories about students really struggling or facing a big obstacle but getting the support they need. That’s why it’s called The Graduates. It’s really tilted towards student success stories and not in some Pollyanna way. We’re saying that these are the kind of key supports that students can have that will help them get to graduation day and beyond.”

Graduation rates in the U.S.

Recent report shows that America’s rising graduation rate is expected to hit 90 percent in 2000. Still, that leaves one in 10 students dropping out of school.

For the Latino community, the latest news is mixed. A recent Pew Hispanic Center study revealed 14 percent of Hispanic 16- to 24-year-olds were classified as high school dropouts. That figure was double in 2000.

Ruiz has high hopes the message behind “The Graduates/Los Graduados” reaches policymakers and administrators. Sure the subjects are Latinos, but the stories involving poverty, teenage pregnancy, etc. are mainstream.

“The biggest thing is just the recognition that there’s this huge and significant community that’s diverse and is going to shape our country in the future,” Ruiz said. “So educating them is not just a priority for the Latino community, it’s key for the country.”

Additional participants in The Graduates/Los Graduados

Richard Blanco is a Cuban-American poet and teacher. He was the first Latino, the first openly gay person, and, at 44, the youngest to be selected as the U.S. inaugural poet.

Julian Castro is the mayor of San Antonio, Texas. His mother was a community activist who inspired his dedication to public service and encouraged him to pursue higher education. Castro is a graduate of Stanford University and Harvard Law School.

Angie Cruz is a Dominican-American novelist who grew up in theWashington Heights section of New York City. Her novels areSoledad (2001) and Let It Rain Coffee (2005). She teaches writing at the University of Pittsburgh.

Patricia Gándara is Research Professor of Education in the Graduate School of Education and Information Sciences at UCLA and a commissioner on President Obama’s Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics.

Maria Teresa Kumar is the founding president and CEO of Voto Latino and an Emmy-nominated contributor with MSNBC.

Pedro Noguera is the Peter L. Agnew Professor of Education atNew York University.

Angy Rivera is a Colombian-born college student who writes the first and only undocumented immigrant advice column, “Ask Angy,” for the New York State Youth Leadership Council.

Luis J. Rodriguez is a poet, novelist, journalist, critic, and columnist. His work has won several awards, and he is recognized as a major figure of contemporary Chicano literature.

Claudio Sanchez, a former elementary and middle school teacher, is the education correspondent for NPR.

Wilmer Valderrama was born in Miami to Colombian and Venezuelan parents and raised between Venezuela and the United States. Best known for the hit sitcom, That ‘70s Show, Valderramahas been a vocal advocate for the Latino community and Latino youth in particular through organizations such as Voto Latino.

Antonio Villaraigosa is mayor of Los Angeles (2005-2013) and himself a former high school dropout.

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This article was first published in Voxxi.

John Benson is employed as a fulltime freelance writer writing for local/national outlets. When he’s not covering news, music or entertainment, he can be found coaching his boys (basketball, football and baseball) or spending time with his wife, Maria.