This was my Bullard experience

I made a decision to attend Bullard High back in ’86, even though I lived a few miles from Edison High. I rode the No. 26 Palm Avenue bus for four years hoping for a better education and a way out of the ghettos of west Fresno.

Instead, I arrived at a place where some students thought I knew every homicide victim in Fresno or just didn’t want me at their white school. I thank teachers like Ms. Bowling and Mr. Costello who encouraged me to be myself and bring my rich culture and make Bullard better than when I arrived.

Thanks to students (graduated now) like Gregory Weaver who didn’t let a disheartening culture stop his path to excellence, the ride down Palm on the No. 26 bus was worth it.

This story was originally published June 13, 2016 at 3:02 PM with the headline "This was my Bullard experience."