On Friday, June 16, ABCD honored its University High School graduates with all due pomp and circumstance. University High School is the agency’s alternative high school for Boston students ages 16 to 22 who, at minimum, are repeating 10th grade, have fallen behind at least one grade level in traditional high school settings, or have left high school without completing their diploma requirements.

University High operates in partnership with the Boston Public Schools–Boston Collaborative High School and concentrates on core requirements. 

“Completing high school is one of the biggest accomplishments of a young person’s life,” said ABCD President and CEO Sharon Scott-Chandler. “It sets a foundation and puts them on a path toward furthering their education and establishing a career, which will bring stability and success for the rest of their lives”

The ceremony took place at the ABCD Thelma Burns Building in Dorchester where 15 graduates were presented with diplomas. Johanna Garcia, a 2021 graduate, offered the keynote address, and shared that she had earned her associate’s degree and is headed to Simmons University in the fall on a full scholarship.

Along with a diploma, students leave with an educational plan, knowledge, skills, and the support to achieve their goals as a lifelong learner in education, career, and civic participation. 

Local members of the graduating class included Br’An Hull, John Pierre, and Michael Seales of Dorchester and Lauren Furtado and Xander Arias Gonzalez of Mattapan.