For many, if not all, the 25 young women and men who graduated on January 21, a high school diploma once seemed a dream beyond their reach. But with perseverance, grit and support from the educators at St. Lucie Acceleration Academy, they realized that dream and strode into their brighter futures....

Bree Thom grew up in a household riven by drug addiction, but she decided she wanted something better. Her search led her to Bethel Acceleration Academy, where she found a learning community that helped her become her best self and, in December, earn her high school diploma. The Tacoma-based News...

Thien Nguyen dreams of becoming a computer software engineer. But just a few months ago it wasn’t clear that he would be able to graduate on time to start his college studies.

It doesn’t matter when or where you earned your high school diploma, what road you took, how old you are or what year you were supposed to graduate.

When Mia Elaina Fernandez’s peers claim their diplomas next spring, she won’t be among them.

Renée Gilmore of ABC News featured Sarasota Acceleration Academy grads Bill Lewis and Chris Tillman on her Empowering Voices program. Bill and Chris talked about how SAA staff members helped them re-engage in their high school studies, and how they supported each other on the road to graduation....

By Jennifer Hyppolite