These three CPS grads weathered ICE, COVID and more. These are the lessons they’ll carry with them.

June 14, 2026 - 14:08

Destiny Singleton, Rigoberto De La Torre Fonseca, and Zachary McCarney walked across the stage this spring as part of the Chicago Public Schools class of 2026. Their paths to graduation were anything but smooth. Each faced personal storms that could have easily derailed their futures.

For Singleton, the threat of Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids in her neighborhood created a constant undercurrent of fear. She learned to keep her head down and focus on her studies even when the world outside felt unstable. De La Torre Fonseca lost family income and stability during the pandemic, forcing him to take on part-time work while keeping up with remote classes. McCarney dealt with the isolation of online learning and the grief of losing a close friend to violence.

Now, with diplomas in hand, they are not just looking back at what they survived. They are carrying forward specific lessons. Singleton says she learned that asking for help is not a weakness, but a survival skill. De La Torre Fonseca credits his teachers for showing him that consistency matters more than perfection. McCarney says he will never take in-person school or community for granted again.

As they prepare for college, trade school, and the working world, all three say the same thing: the struggles did not break them. They sharpened them.