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Granby High’s Class of 2012: Reflecting on four years of hard times

In 2008, presidential candidate Barack Obama visited a freshman leadership class at Norfolk’s Granby High School, and his heady message of hope resonated with many of the students.But soon after, financial realities hit the students and their parents. Four years later, we revisit them as they graduate.

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On Sept. 10, 2008, a freshman leadership class at Granby High School was handpicked to model the potential of an inner-city high school during Barack Obama's campaign. The dreams of Granby's freshman class seemed as boundless as the possibilities for Obama, who spent the day at the Norfolk school and whose campaign believed he could win Virginia despite that the state had not voted for a Democratic presidential candidate since 1964. But eight days after the candidate's visit, the U.S. Treasury secretary proposed an emergency bailout to avert a financial meltdown. The economic crisis became Obama's and hung over his presidency, as the recession affected the dreams of the high school students in the freshman leadership class. Now those students are graduating, making decisions about their futures, and Obama is a candidate once again.

Alexandra Garcia / The Washington Post

Then-presidential candidate Barack Obama talks with students, including Haley Everton, left, in a freshman leadership class at Granby High School in Norfolk. Obama exhorted the ninth-graders to work hard. 'You've got to internalize the idea that nobody should have higher expectations for you than you do,' he said.

Then-presidential candidate Barack Obama talks with students, including Haley Everton, left, in a freshman leadership class at Granby High School in Norfolk. Obama exhorted the ninth-graders to work hard. "You've got to internalize the idea that nobody should have higher expectations for you than you do," he said.

Saul Loeb / Agence France-Presse via Getty Images

Diamond White heads to the bus stop on her way to school. Obama's visit in 2008 was a moment of promise that has hung over Diamond's years at Granby High. It came before her father lost his job and before she had to begin working part-time at Bottom Dollar Food, now Food Lion.

Diamond White heads to the bus stop on her way to school. Obama's visit in 2008 was a moment of promise that has hung over Diamond's years at Granby High. It came before her father lost his job and before she had to begin working part-time at Bottom Dollar Food, now Food Lion.

Alexandra Garcia / The Washington Post

Diamond White, right, rides the bus to school. Her family's financial situation made it hard for Diamond to get too excited about college, though her counselor was confident that she would qualify for scholarships and grant money.

Diamond White, right, rides the bus to school. Her family's financial situation made it hard for Diamond to get too excited about college, though her counselor was confident that she would qualify for scholarships and grant money.

Alexandra Garcia / The Washington Post

Norfolk's Granby High School is a predominantly African American school that, when Obama visited, had worked hard to boost the performance of its low-income students, who made up 60 percent of the 2,000 teens enrolled.

Norfolk's Granby High School is a predominantly African American school that, when Obama visited, had worked hard to boost the performance of its low-income students, who made up 60 percent of the 2,000 teens enrolled.

Alexandra Garcia / The Washington Post

In her classes, Diamond White is poised and attentive. But she couldn't afford an SAT prep course and didn't crack 1500 (out of 2400) on the test. The world of transcripts and college essays was foreign to her. When it came to college applications, the school guidance counselor often found herself saying to Diamond: 'Okay, so when are we going to get that done?'

In her classes, Diamond White is poised and attentive. But she couldn't afford an SAT prep course and didn't crack 1500 (out of 2400) on the test. The world of transcripts and college essays was foreign to her. When it came to college applications, the school guidance counselor often found herself saying to Diamond: "Okay, so when are we going to get that done?"

Alexandra Garcia / The Washington Post

Diamond White has set her sights high. She took Advanced Placement science and math courses. She wants to become the first in her family to graduate from college and become an orthopedic surgeon. <strong>She wants a high-paying career, not a make-ends-meet job</strong>.

Diamond White has set her sights high. She took Advanced Placement science and math courses. She wants to become the first in her family to graduate from college and become an orthopedic surgeon. She wants a high-paying career, not a make-ends-meet job.

Alexandra Garcia / The Washington Post

Diamond White talks with two of her classmates during her law class at Granby High School. She is getting B's in AP biology and calculus, among the toughest math and science courses at Granby.

Diamond White talks with two of her classmates during her law class at Granby High School. She is getting B's in AP biology and calculus, among the toughest math and science courses at Granby.

Alexandra Garcia / The Washington Post

Diamond gets ready for work in her bedroom. The poster over her head was altered by her father, who superimposed Obama's face over Malcom X's in the iconic photograph with Martin Luther King Jr.

Diamond gets ready for work in her bedroom. The poster over her head was altered by her father, who superimposed Obama's face over Malcom X's in the iconic photograph with Martin Luther King Jr.

Alexandra Garcia / The Washington Post

Diamond walks to work at Food Lion from her house in the Park Place neighborhood of Norfolk. Don and Kim White settled in the city's Park Place neighborhood, where the old woman across the street sold candy from her house and was like a grandmother to the children before she died. But along with the grannies and old timers, Park Place has a criminal element. Neighborhood teenagers have been shot at house parties. Two doors down from the White's home is a group house for juvenile delinquents. But mostly, the family feels safe.

Diamond walks to work at Food Lion from her house in the Park Place neighborhood of Norfolk. Don and Kim White settled in the city's Park Place neighborhood, where the old woman across the street sold candy from her house and was like a grandmother to the children before she died. But along with the grannies and old timers, Park Place has a criminal element. Neighborhood teenagers have been shot at house parties. Two doors down from the White's home is a group house for juvenile delinquents. But mostly, the family feels safe.

Alexandra Garcia / The Washington Post

Diamond works at Food Lion, formerly Bottom Dollar Food. Money is at the center of both her problems and hopes for the future. Diamond's mom is a debt collector (who is herself dodging debt collectors) and her father was unemployed for months last year, which makes sending Diamond to college difficult for the family to afford.

Diamond works at Food Lion, formerly Bottom Dollar Food. Money is at the center of both her problems and hopes for the future. Diamond's mom is a debt collector (who is herself dodging debt collectors) and her father was unemployed for months last year, which makes sending Diamond to college difficult for the family to afford.

Alexandra Garcia / The Washington Post

Don White, Diamond's father, stands in the doorway of their home. White worked odd jobs and day labor for much of 2011, moving furniture after he was laid off from a construction company.

Don White, Diamond's father, stands in the doorway of their home. White worked odd jobs and day labor for much of 2011, moving furniture after he was laid off from a construction company.

Alexandra Garcia / The Washington Post

Kim White, center, watches her children play with neighborhood kids on a neighbor's trampoline. To keep current on the air conditioning, gas for the car and the appetites of six children, Kim works as a debt collector. With the economy down, it is steady but unnerving work.

Kim White, center, watches her children play with neighborhood kids on a neighbor's trampoline. To keep current on the air conditioning, gas for the car and the appetites of six children, Kim works as a debt collector. With the economy down, it is steady but unnerving work.

Alexandra Garcia / The Washington Post

Clayton Hartley, who signed a six-year contract with the Army, will continue his military training after graduation. When Obama visited Granby, Clayton asked him what he would do for military families like his.

Clayton Hartley, who signed a six-year contract with the Army, will continue his military training after graduation. When Obama visited Granby, Clayton asked him what he would do for military families like his.

Alexandra Garcia / The Washington Post

When Obama visited Granby, Clayton Hartley told Obama about the father he had seen only a handful of times because of constant deployments in Iraq, Libya and around the United States. Despite Obama's drawdown of troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, with his father away and more friends deploying, it has felt to Clayton like not much had changed. His mom still struggled and when he turned 17, Clayton enlisted in the Army, too — over his mother's objections. The summer before his senior year of high school he completed basic training.

When Obama visited Granby, Clayton Hartley told Obama about the father he had seen only a handful of times because of constant deployments in Iraq, Libya and around the United States. Despite Obama's drawdown of troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, with his father away and more friends deploying, it has felt to Clayton like not much had changed. His mom still struggled and when he turned 17, Clayton enlisted in the Army, too — over his mother's objections. The summer before his senior year of high school he completed basic training.

Alexandra Garcia / The Washington Post

Aubrey Burrus, center, who plays football and basketball, is hoping to be recruited on an athletic scholarship, but his grades prevented him from playing sports in his junior year. His coach worries that he needed more time to hone his talent.

Aubrey Burrus, center, who plays football and basketball, is hoping to be recruited on an athletic scholarship, but his grades prevented him from playing sports in his junior year. His coach worries that he needed more time to hone his talent.

Alexandra Garcia / The Washington Post

Aubrey Burrus doubles over in pain after taking a hit in the Granby High School homecoming football game. 'We see what you're doing, trying to do positive things,' Aubrey Burrus told Obama in 2008, when Obama visited his freshman leadership seminar. Aubrey, a self-described knucklehead, whose short hair had not yet grown into a soft Afro, was barely passing his classes. He would later credit meeting Obama with keeping him from dropping out like his parents did.

Aubrey Burrus doubles over in pain after taking a hit in the Granby High School homecoming football game. "We see what you're doing, trying to do positive things," Aubrey Burrus told Obama in 2008, when Obama visited his freshman leadership seminar. Aubrey, a self-described knucklehead, whose short hair had not yet grown into a soft Afro, was barely passing his classes. He would later credit meeting Obama with keeping him from dropping out like his parents did.

Alexandra Garcia / The Washington Post

Haley Everton models prom dresses at the Cache store in MacArthur Center mall in Norfolk. This year, when her mother and stepfather were forced to put their house up for short sale, she moved out of her home and moved in with her father. Everton says she couldn't have afforded a dress for prom, so a friend's mother purchased her floor-length orange gown.

Haley Everton models prom dresses at the Cache store in MacArthur Center mall in Norfolk. This year, when her mother and stepfather were forced to put their house up for short sale, she moved out of her home and moved in with her father. Everton says she couldn't have afforded a dress for prom, so a friend's mother purchased her floor-length orange gown.

Alexandra Garcia / The Washington Post

Megan Louis prepares to take part in the color guard before the Granby High School graduation at the Ted Constant Convocation Center at Old Dominion University. Louis and other members of a freshman class who met with Barack Obama while he visited Granby High School in 2008 graduated this month. She plans to enlist in the Army or entroll at Tidewater Community College.

Megan Louis prepares to take part in the color guard before the Granby High School graduation at the Ted Constant Convocation Center at Old Dominion University. Louis and other members of a freshman class who met with Barack Obama while he visited Granby High School in 2008 graduated this month. She plans to enlist in the Army or entroll at Tidewater Community College.

Matt McClain / For The Washington Post

Quasia Gallashaw, second from left, and Dominique Barrington, left center, stand next to Diamond White, right center, before the Granby High School graduation.

Quasia Gallashaw, second from left, and Dominique Barrington, left center, stand next to Diamond White, right center, before the Granby High School graduation.

Matt McClain / For The Washington Post

Clayton Hartley watches from his seat during the Granby High School graduation.

Clayton Hartley watches from his seat during the Granby High School graduation.

Matt McClain / For The Washington Post

Haley Everton watches from her seat during the Granby High School graduation. She wants to be a modern dancer and will enroll in Tidewater Community College this fall while working part-time to pay her way.

Haley Everton watches from her seat during the Granby High School graduation. She wants to be a modern dancer and will enroll in Tidewater Community College this fall while working part-time to pay her way.

Matt McClain / For The Washington Post

Aubrey Burrus, center, celebrates near the end of the Granby High School graduation. He's hoping to play basketball for Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, N.C., or head to a prep school for an extra year of academics.<strong> star guard on the school’s basketball team, he had shot up six inches and gained 35 pounds since freshman year. </strong>He wore glinting gold caps on his six front teeth and threw up a peace sign as he accepted his diploma.

Aubrey Burrus, center, celebrates near the end of the Granby High School graduation. He's hoping to play basketball for Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, N.C., or head to a prep school for an extra year of academics. star guard on the school’s basketball team, he had shot up six inches and gained 35 pounds since freshman year. He wore glinting gold caps on his six front teeth and threw up a peace sign as he accepted his diploma.

Matt McClain / For The Washington Post

Raven White, center, hugs her sister, Diamond White, right, as their nephew, Demarion Smith Baxter, 2, is seen at left after the Granby High School graduation.

Raven White, center, hugs her sister, Diamond White, right, as their nephew, Demarion Smith Baxter, 2, is seen at left after the Granby High School graduation.

Matt McClain / For The Washington Post

Mike Wortherly kisses his girlfriend, Diamond White, during a party at her family's home to celebrate her graduation from Granby High School. Diamond’s new plan is to move to Woodbridge, where her boyfriend lives, and enroll in classes at Northern Virginia Community College. After two years, she can transfer to a university and then enroll in medical school.

Mike Wortherly kisses his girlfriend, Diamond White, during a party at her family's home to celebrate her graduation from Granby High School. Diamond’s new plan is to move to Woodbridge, where her boyfriend lives, and enroll in classes at Northern Virginia Community College. After two years, she can transfer to a university and then enroll in medical school.

Matt McClain / For The Washington Post

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