April Kaplowitz

April is a Khabele graduate who is still reaping the benefits of her Khabele education. Because of her experience at the Khabele School she not only improved her leadership skills and understanding of community, she was also able to excel in academic ways not possible in many other learning environments. She now attends Reed College (the school with the second highest number of Rhodes scholars from a liberal arts college, and the school with the second highest number of graduates who go on to receive Ph.D.'s). She is also a Gates Millennium Scholar, a program with a 5% acceptance rate (that's twice as difficult as it is to get into Harvard) that provides a full scholarship to college; they also flew her to LA!

Esther Bramlett

Esther is pursuing a degree in Exercise and Sports Science at University of San Francisco and planning on attending Physical Therapy School for graduate school in either New York, San Francisco or Austin. She is most proud of auditioning and performing in a dance performance at school and surviving this past semester.  When asked how the Khabele School helped set her up for success in college she said that "it taught me how to be true to my word."

Eva Claire Albion-Wright

At Khabele, she learned how to nurture her own self esteem and confidence and she even developed a student mentorship program, became a student teacher, and founded the theater program...all of which earned her their Freedom Award. Using those same skills in college, she makes good grades, is a senator of her dorm and has earned a weekly column in the school paper. She is currently a freshman at Smith College.

Kimberly Hartgrove

Kimberly is currently a student at St. Edward's University where she is pursuing a bachelor's degree in English Writing and Rhetoric with a minor in Graphic Design. She continues to write poetry and has started to write short stories as well. She is currently learning intermediate techniques in Illustrator. Lately, she is most proud of the grades she received this previous semester, as she managed to maintain a 4.0 GPA. The Khabele School has greatly influenced the way in which she approaches and plans large projects for class. According to Kimberly, It has also taught her to take charge of her education, and to strive for the tools she needs to succeed. Khabele has stuck with her in some shape or form throughout college, and its influence has definitely made her an eager student of life.

Travis Thomas

Travis is back in Texas now having just graduated from Virginia Tech with a degree in English. He is working for the Texas State Unemployment Agency.  When asked what he is most proud of, he says, "I am not a very proud person. There is my job, of course, which I might actually be proud of under normal circumstances - it is, after all, a fairly nice government job, with decent pay and good benefits, and it really gives me a chance to help people in a real way."  The Khabele School helped him by "letting me know it was okay to be me.  I was accepted for who I was. It's not something that'll show up on any midterm or resume, but it's a pretty important lesson nonetheless, and I'm glad I got it."

Eric Bomblatus

Currently Eric is enrolled in St. Edward's University. He will begin the second half of his sophomore year, and looks forward to a class about international security and conflict resolution. He is majoring in global studies with a minor in Spanish. He has been practicing yoga often and meeting lots of new people involved in Austin's growing yoga community. He has also been helping coordinate a conference for student organizations involved with fair trade. When asked what  he is most proud of, he responds, "My mother and father. They have provided so much for me. Besides the opportunity to travel or help own a car, my family has provided me with necessities such as food, shelter and education. I believe there is a lack of these things in other parts of the world, and even here in the USA. But I am not ignorant of these issues, which is why I am so proud and grateful for my mother and father. I love them deeply."  When reflecting back on his high school education at Khabele, he explains that "Khabele gave me the opportunity to become who I truly am, to discover who I am. The values of integrity and personal responsibility help tremendously in college.  But this is not possible without a love of learning, which I credit the Khablele School for having helped me realize. "

Ryan Culp

One lesson Ryan learned at Khabele was perseverance. He stuck to his studies through the good times and the bad. Even at a young age, he had an entrepreneurial spirit and enjoyed race cars and mechanics. He has now gone on to the "real world," and has started his very own towing business. He has a staff, a bookkeeper, and the beginnings of his own fleet of trucks. At twenty-two, he just closed on his first house, a great property in Lake Travis that can hold all of his mechanical delights.