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Seventy-six students marched in Washington Heights recently with hundreds of younger peers cheering them on. The short-term destination was the post office, but the long-term goal is a college degree.

“This a new step toward the future and me being a responsible young man,” said student Christian Carr.

I've known Christian since he was 11. I used to be a teacher at IS 143, and for two years, he was one of my students. Six of my former students were part of the group mailing their college applications.

Their high school, the Washington Heights Expeditionary Learning School, also known as WHEELS, is a new sixth through 12th grade school that now shares a building with IS 143.

“We're trying to change the trajectory of our kids’ lives,” said Brett Kimmel, principal of WHEELS.

My former students, and 90 percent of their class, will be the first in their families to go to college.

“Even though there is a lot of pressure knowing that I am the first one, I like the fact that my family depends on me to see me graduate from college,” said student Derrick Ovoxo Rosario.

“They feel very proud of me,” said student Adonis Grullon.

“I think too many times people think that kids from our community of Washington Heights can't go to college and can't succeed, and we're changing that. So to have the police involved, have the post office involved, have people hanging out of their windows and just asking 'what's going on here today,' everyone was smiling. Some people were crying with excitement about it,” said Kimmel.

I admit, I'm one of those people who found themselves overcome with emotion. I'd talked about the importance of college with my students when they were 11 and 12 years old. But they overcame formidable obstacles to get here: on track to graduate and mailing their college applications.

The students credit their teachers at WHEELS.

“They were on us every single day, 24/7. Sending us emails, telling us every day in class that we have to do it, that it will pay off in the end. And it did,” said student William Taveras.

Schools Chancellor Dennis Walcott said they're all setting an example.

“They expect to go to college and they will do well in college, and that is a message we need to have resonated throughout the entire city,” said Walcott.

Their families, teachers, and former teachers are proud.