More Than 100 Philly Dropouts Receive High School Diplomas
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- More than 100 Philadelphia high school dropouts received their diplomas Friday morning after spending the past year hard at work studying academics, getting vocational training and performing community service.
Each of the grads in YouthBuild Philadelphia Charter School's Class of 2017 was between the age of 18 and 21, and all showed pride in their accomplishment through loud cheers and beaming smiles at a lively ceremony held at Zion Baptist Church on North Broad Street. One of those graduates was Nicole Saunders of North Philadelphia, who is already working for the carpenter's union. She says the only thing young people need to take advantage of the 2nd chance YouthBuild offers, is motivation.
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"I had to want it myself," said Saunders. "Like everything came with it. Like they pushed me, but I had to push myself to get there. So I had to do half of it, and they finished the rest."
Saunders said her personal motivation was to give her daughter a better life. The City's Chief Education Officer, Otis Hackney, served as keynote speaker and applauded the grads for getting the job done.
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"I expect the world of them, and so having programs for children who need alternative pathways to success is much-needed in our city," said Hackney.
Hackney also shared his own tale of failing out of high school, before turning his life around as he got older.
