Sixth graders at Gus Garcia Young Men's Leadership Academy participated in a rite of passage Tuesday at the Austin ISD middle school: They learned how to tie a tie.
Principal Jose Mejia told students gathered in the cafeteria that the Tie Ceremony marked an important moment on their journey to become leaders.
"Giving back to your community is what we want to teach you. It's called servant leadership," he said.
![Gus Garcia Young Men's Leadership Academy principal, Mr. Jose Mejia, stands center left in the background surrounded by students sitting at cafeteria tables. The students watch him as he gives a speech.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/2398cbc/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1024x683+0+0/resize/880x587!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F1a%2F24%2F1f1cbd88494dbba7402711fdd061%2Fjosemejia-pl-082223.jpg)
Mejia said learning how to tie a tie was also going to set students up for success in whatever they wanted to achieve.
"The way you look, gentlemen, carries a lot of weight," he said. "So, gentlemen, professionalism carries you to success, so you already have a leg up."
![A pile of purple ties rests on a table on a stage. A hand reaches out from the left side to grab a tie. In the background, students are walking in a line towards a teacher, who is giving out ties to the students one at a time.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9a090ed/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1024x683+0+0/resize/880x587!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F6f%2Fc9%2Fe18b89174930a62997da7bf45e05%2Ftieceremonyties-pl-082223.jpg)
Interim Superintendent Matias Segura told students that it took him years to learn things they were going to learn at their school.
"I didn't learn how to tie a tie until I was preparing for my first interview in college," he said. "I had interviews, didn't know how to tie a tie, and my friends helped me learn how to tie a tie."
![Interim Superintendent Matias Segura stands on a stage wearing a black blazer and a white and purple striped tie. You can see him from the waist up. He holds a microphone in his left hand while he gestures with his right hand. He is in the middle of speaking. Two people are visible sitting behind him.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/1750632/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1024x683+0+0/resize/880x587!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F0a%2Fa6%2Fec55fa6941dfb3b1fd9e3bc3dfac%2Fmatiassegura-pl-082223.jpg)
During the ceremony, eighth graders walked sixth graders through how to tie the new purple ties they received. Eighth grader Ky'mani helped sixth grader Michael with his tie. Ky'mani said he enjoyed going to school at Gus Garcia, and Michael said he was learning a lot.
"I want to be a leader when I get older," Michael said.
Throughout the ceremony, administrators chanted, "I look good," to which students replied, "I feel good. I am a Gus Garcia man!"
![A six grader is shown standing from the waist up, wearing a white button up. An untied purple tie rests around his neck. He's smiling and looking at the camera. Around him are other students and teachers tying ties. Behind him is a cafeteria table.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/b9d699f/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1024x683+0+0/resize/880x587!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fcb%2Fe4%2F7c2020194416bac1133595488e77%2Ftieceremonysmile-pl-082223.jpg)
Gus Garcia Young Men's Leadership Academy is an all-boys middle school in East Austin. Seventy-five percent of the student body is Hispanic, and 21% of the students are Black.
![An eighth grader wearing a white and purple striped tie has his hands hovering over the shoulders of a sixth grader, showing him how to tie a tie. Other students are sitting at cafeteria tables in the background.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/c91f335/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1024x683+0+0/resize/880x587!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F33%2F89%2Fb60e56fb48e1932b01601950cf1d%2Ftieceremonytwostudents-pl-082223.jpg)
![A sixth grader wearing a white button up ties a purple tie under the collar of their shirt. The back and right arm of a teacher holding another purple tie is visible on the left side of the photo. In the background are other teachers and students tying ties.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/40cca2e/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1024x683+0+0/resize/880x587!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F55%2F21%2Fb15aded4425dbfc2df590aed4994%2Ftieceremonycloseup-pl-082223.jpg)
![A student is asleep sitting at a cafeteria table. His head rests against his crossed arms. Beside and behind him, other students facing in the opposite direction are sitting at tables and watching a teacher in the background.](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9bcd24a/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1024x683+0+0/resize/880x587!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fc4%2Fcc%2Fca733d96463696c9cca609a49a8c%2Ftieceremonysleeping-pl-082223.jpg)