WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Worthington High School in West Palm Beach has hit a record enrollment of more than 625 students this year, even as the broader Palm Beach County school district is seeing a decrease in numbers.
School leaders say the growth is driven by an influx of residents moving to the area and a rising demand for flexible learning schedules.
WATCH BELOW: Worthington High School hits record enrollment in Palm Beach County
"There's an influx of people moving to Palm Beach County, and they are looking for an easier transition from the regular school to a more modern type curriculum," Mirna Mosquera, an instructional assistant at the school, said.
The tuition-free charter school focuses on dropout prevention and credit recovery. According to the school's 2024-2025 Impact Report:
- 100% of students are below grade level in math
- 98% are below grade level in reading, at an average third-grade level
- 43% work full or part-time jobs to support themselves or their families
- 32% are parenting or responsible for the care of a family member
- The average incoming GPA is 1.40
Despite those challenges, Principal Mercedes Yacinthe said the school's growth reflects the impact it is having on students.
"When we started four years ago, we had 200 students," Yacinthe said. "It's amazing. The number of students we are impacting at a high school level."
Senior Scidel Lopez Aguila is one of those students. Lopez Aguila said the school helped him push through personal obstacles on the way to graduation.
"I struggled with senioritis and even getting out of bed in the morning," Lopez Aguila said. "I am planning on going to Florida State University and becoming an electrical engineer."
Senior Dillan Thelwell said he also struggled before finding his footing at Worthington.
"When I first got to high school, it was all about sports for me; my academics were terrible. Now I have a Division I scholarship to play soccer in New York," Thelwell said.
With enrollment continuing to grow, the school is adding a middle school program to help reach struggling students sooner.
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