It’s been a challenging year for the high school seniors in our programs. Many of them have overcome significant struggles including homelessness, poverty, language barriers in the classroom, and balancing long hours of employment with trying to keep up with their education. And the odds are stacked against them: studies show that, on average, only 64% of youth experiencing homelessness will graduate from high school. Without daily interaction in the classroom many youth have lost an important support system, making it even harder for them to graduate and achieve their goals.
That’s why we’re so proud to announce that 100% of Second Story’s eligible seniors – eight from Second Story for Homeless Youth and eleven from the Culmore Teen Center — graduated from high school this year! That makes 19 high school graduates from Second Story’s programs.
- Three will be attending Northern Virginia Community College
- Two joined the United States Marine Corp
- The rest are working full-time – some with dreams of earning certificates, learning a trade, or going to school someday.
We’re so proud of each of these graduates and all their hard work and thankful for the staff and volunteers who helped them along the way. We can’t wait to see how they use their education, talents, and drive to pursue their dreams!
