Dallas

Texas Connects Us: Grand Prairie Graduates Take Special Journey Together

On a quiet morning in May, 15 seniors from the Young Women's Leadership Academy gathered at Dallas Love Field to take a rare flight on board a vintage aircraft dating back to 1937.

"Not many people get this opportunity. I'm a little nervous," said senior Yaneth Flores.

Coordinated with the Frontiers of Flight Museum, the experience is a part of the academy's curriculum to expose female students to opportunities beyond the walls of high school.

And for many of the girls, this was their first time to fly.

Experiencing fears and firsts are nothing new for this group.

The ladies first came together in eighth grade and will now be the first graduates from the all-girls academy, the first offered a collective $1.5 million in scholarships and the first in their families to attend college.

"I've been here for so long, and I got to experience so many things, and this school gave me so many opportunities to grow as a person," Flores said.

Assistant principal Cheryl Horton organized the flight as part of reward for the long journey they've traveled together and the one they'll soon take on their own.

"I just want to thank you," Horton told the girls. "I've known most of you for five wonderful years. I'm a proud mom to each of you."

The class of 2017 will graduate at the end of the month. The ladies have collectively been accepted to 152 colleges and universities across the United States.

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