Stories/Essays: First Class
Fifteen years ago, 19 kids from Memphis entered a first-of-its-kind program at St. George's Independent School designed to help diversify the then all-white prep school. Five of the original 19 graduated in May. Their journey - and the experiences of their teachers and other students - illustrate the challenges and promise for immersion programs where students, armed with scholarships, are moved to a suburban campus and offered support to help succeed.
The story, along with multimedia and additional images, can be viewed here
![May 6, 2016 - Zearius Jenkins holds Alex Carlton's dress as he picks her up to take her to the Southwind High School prom. After years of going to school together the two became such good friends that they think of each other as siblings. Cartlon was among the original 16 students that crossed over from the St. George's Memphis campus to the Collierville campus but was forced to leave the school after her scholarship was not renewed following the eighth grade. {quote}[St. George's graduates] have more opportunity.{quote} she said. {quote}Southwind doesn't provide as great an opportunity for college. (Mike Brown/The Commercial Appeal)](http://cdn.lightgalleries.net/4bd5ec025ee31/images/0605_malo_George_graduation11_thumb-1.jpg)
