Dallas ISD Seniors Obtain Debt-Free Degrees Through Dallas College

Coppell TX

09 April, 2022

3:37 PM

Description

Press release from Dallas College: April 6, 2022 (DALLAS) — Illias Gomez was not always a focused and disciplined student. Middle school brought its challenges, and he wondered if he would be branded a troubled teen. But by the time he reached high school, he found his calling — designing computer games. It was a skill he knew he could master and parlay into a career in gaming technology. "Gaming is very new. A lot of teens and young adults are introduced to video games. We are the founding generation of gaming," said Gomez, a senior at Conrad High School H-TECH, a Pathways in Technology Early College High School or P-TECH. Students who want to make a living at gaming, however, also need to know the business side of game design, he said. With the help of friends and mentors, Gomez has set himself up for a rewarding career in gaming by first "enrolling in a career" through Dallas College. He is on track to graduate next month with both a high school diploma and an Associate of Applied Science in Interactive Simulation and Game Technology. In honor of Gomez' success and the success of other "dual credit" students like him, Dallas College and Dallas ISD will recognize P-TECH and Early College High School graduates at a special celebration April 7 from 5-7 p.m. at the Communities Foundation of Texas. This event will celebrate the vision of Chancellor Emeritus Joe May, Chancellor Justin Lonon and Superintendent Michael Hinojosa and the accomplishments to date of the P-TECHs and Early College High Schools resulting from the extensive work of Dallas College and Dallas ISD to create this unique educational pathway for Dallas students, the majority of whom are the first in their families to attend college. This press release was produced by Dallas College. The views expressed here are the author's own.