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Graduation day at Verbum Dei High School in Watts

In front of their rented house in the Watts neighborhood of South Los Angeles, Marlene Chapa talks with her twin sons Robert, left and Ricardo Placensia about their upcoming graduation night party at Magic Mountain in Valencia. The 17-year-olds will graduate from Verbum Dei High School. Both have been accepted to UC Riverside.

In front of their rented house in the Watts neighborhood of South Los Angeles, Marlene Chapa talks with her twin sons Robert, left and Ricardo Placensia about their upcoming graduation night party at Magic Mountain in Valencia. The 17-year-olds will graduate from Verbum Dei High School. Both have been accepted to UC Riverside.   (Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times)

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One by one, the young men step onto the stage at Verbum Dei High School and take their moment to bask in the spotlight. Raul Ignacia Valencia peers out at the sea of people waiting to hear what college he will attend in the fall, a rite of passage at the all-male Catholic school in Watts. He spots a familiar face -- his dad -- and remembers the promise he made to become the first in his family to graduate college.

Graduating high school in Watts

With their mother Marlene Chapa watching, Ricardo Placensia, left and twin Robert horse around in the frontyard of their house in Watts. When the boys were three years old they lived with their single mom in a shelter to escape domestic violence. Now they are about to graduate from Verbum Dei High School.  (Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times)

Graduating high school in Watts

Ricardo Placensia blushes as the staff at the law firm of Locke Lord in downtown L.A. applaud him during his going-away party. He interned at the firm, part of the Verbum Dei High School program to help disadvantaged young people.   (Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times)

Graduating high school in Watts

During a party commemorating his years of internship at Locke Lord in downtown L.A., Ricardo Placensia shakes hands with Jon Rewinski, a partner in the law firm. For many years the Jesuit-run Verbum Dei High School has achieved the remarkable distinction of sending 100% of its graduates to a college or university.   (Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times)

Graduating high school in Watts

Twins Robert and Ricardo Placensia use their cellphone cameras to primp before their graduation ceremony at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Angels in Los Angeles. At right is Eduardo Ramirez, a close friend from their Watts neighborhood.   (Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times)

Graduating high school in Watts

Ricardo, left, and Robert Placensia hold hands durng the recitation of the Lord’s Prayer during their Verbum Dei High School graduation ceremony at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Angels in Los Angeles.  (Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times)

Graduating high school in Watts

Ricardo Placensia, right, and Robert Placensia receive their diplomas as graduates of Verbum Dei High School during a ceremony at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Angels in Los Angeles.   (Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times)

Graduating high school in Watts

Marlene Chapa hugs her son Robert Placensia at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Angels after his Verbum Dei High School graduation ceremony on June 6, 2013.   (Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times)

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