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Farewell Celebration For Roberto Clemente Student Development Center Saturday

Roberto Clemente Student Development Center
Andrew Cluley
/
89.1 WEMU

This fall, Ann Arbor Public Schools open the new Pathways to Success Campus. It brings together the Roberto Clemente and A2 Tech programs.  

The move brings an end to a 40-year old chapter in the story of the Roberto Clemente Student Development Center.  A farewell celebration is planned Saturday.

For several years, impassioned Roberto Clemente students fought the prospect of losing their home on Textile Road, and the sense of family built inside those walls. A good deal of that sentiment can be traced directly to Joe Dulin. He founded the Roberto Clemente program and served as it's Principal until his retirement five years ago.

Dulin firmly believes shaking students hands every morning, making the school open to parents and holding weekly rap sessions helped create an inclusive  environment, "A few minutes taken off each class so we were able to talk about issues and concerns that they had, and the parents had.  Parents were invited."

And, Dulin was involved beyond the schools walls. It wasn't unheard of for Dulin to show up at a student's home and splash them with water to make sure they got up and to school on time.

As for the upcoming change in campus? Dulin says he personally opposes moving Roberto Clemente but also believes principals Ben Edmondson and Tyrone Weeks will make the best of the situation.

The farewell celebration starts Saturday at 1 PM at Roberto Clemente.

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— Andrew Cluley is the Ann Arbor beat reporter, and anchor for 89.1 WEMU News. Contact him at 734.487.3363 or email him acluley@emich.edu.

Like many, I first came to this area when I started school at the University of Michigan, then fell in love with the community and haven’t left. After graduating from U of M in the mid 1990’s I interned at WDET for several years, while also working a variety of jobs in Ann Arbor. Then in 1999 I joined the WEMU news team.
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