ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC)- From the moment Vertus High School students get off the school bus at 7:30 a.m. they're greeted with a warm welcome, a fist bump and some morning motivation. "When they walk into our doors, they know we are going to speak life, we're going to encourage them, we're going to motivate them and we want them to know that they're going to be great men," said Levi Bennet, the principal at Vertus. Principal Bennett said, in the past decade, hundreds of young men have graduated from the charter school with more than just a degree. He said these mostly black and brown Warriors, as they are called, have purpose and the personalized attention needed to become great men in their communities. "We've seen our graduation rate grow into the mid to high 80 percent for students and math and ELA (English Language Arts) growth doubled," he said. University of Rochester graduate students plan unionization effort Part of the success model includes a year-round curriculum and key partnerships with community and business leaders like Ty Kelly, the Director of Wegmans Work Scholarship Program. "I like to keep my fingers on the pulse," Kelly said after explaining he's a frequent visitor at the school. He said about 30 students are working at Wegmans and he recently told a class of young men that the supermarket chain has room for more. "A young person with a job is more likely to graduate high school," Kelly added. But, according to Kelly, they have to earn the job like any other applicant who goes through an interview process. The students must also have good attendance and maintain a B average in school. Kelly is among the community members who will be honored at the school's second Annual Gala, Saturday. "You don't do what I do to get accolades and attention. You do it because it's the right thing to do," Kelly said of the recognition. Kelly said he's watched this non-traditional public school grow over the past decade and he likes what he sees. "You think about it. Here, we have preceptors which a majority of them are men of color, so these young men they may not have a male role model in their home, but they come here, and they have a caring adult that looks like them that helps them get through the day." News 8 is a proud partner and supporter of Vertus High School.