One night, Gabriel Romero saw a rocket soar into the heavens above Florida’s Space Coast and knew what he wanted to do with his life — go to college and become an aerospace engineer.

When Julio Pagan’s grandparents came to the United States from their home countries in Central America, they brought with them hopes to carry through the generations.

Kahliah Beckford moved to South Carolina from her native Jamaica. Enrolling at Carolina Shores Acceleration Academy, she found a supportive group of educators and the opportunity to make progress at her own pace — an effort that recently allowed her to celebrate earning her high school diploma.

What a difference the right school can make.

When Natalia Campos was 8, she lost her beloved abuela. She knew that her grandmother wanted to see Natalia and her other grandchildren earn their high school diplomas, so she made her grandmother a vow.

There was never a question in Christian Hernandez’s mind: He wanted to finish high school. There was, however, a host of challenges — especially the need for him to work until 1 p.m. each day at his family’s Guatemalan restaurant.

Test-taking anxiety is a common challenge for high school students. So much so that “about 20% of high school students and young adults experience high levels of test anxiety, and another 15% struggle with moderate test anxiety,” according to College Board.

Gwinnett County Acceleration Academies celebrated a new class of graduates recently, honoring young people who had pushed through adversity to claim their dream of a high school diploma.

An alarming rise in bullying and violence in high school has made it even harder for young people to focus on their studies and realize their dreams. Increasingly, students in search of a peaceful place to learn find their way to Acceleration Academies.