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Eighteen-year-old Excel High School graduate Quantae Blakey loved English and Science, but beyond academics learned how to persist with dignity in less-than-ideal circumstances. He moved to South Boston from Lynn to live with his father three years ago and has had more adjustments than many adults know in a lifetime. He quickly named at least seven places he lived, including family shelters and with relatives. “Graduation is something I wanted to do for my dad, Derick Blakey,” he said. He also knows it may help his future. “I love to cook, so I hope something like that can work out. Not so much customer service, but the culinary arts part is one of my goals.” “I’ve been isolated most of my life,” said Quantae. “I [...]

It takes a special kind of person to go back to earn a high school degree several years after attending school, and twenty-five-year-old Shaun Noonan is one. He earned his high school equivalency degree (G.E.D) on April 28, 2023! The only child of Maryann Noonan, Shaun has lived in South Boston all of his life, and it is in this community where he achieved his goals and looks toward a promising future. “I went to the Neighborhood House since I was a kid, and then started working there at 15, and that’s where I work now,” he said. “They are the reason I got the degree. They said, you need to do this, and I did. Kathy Lafferty called Julie’s Family Learning and that was [...]

Graduating in the final class of Matignon High School, Molly Walsh, lifelong South Boston resident, is filled with gratitude despite the closure of a school she loved. She is headed to the University of New Hampshire with sensitivity and thoughtful goals. “I went to Boston Latin Academy from grades 7-9 after Boston Catholic Academy but transferred to Matignon to play hockey. It became like a family. The teachers took the time to know you at a deeper level and that pushed me to want to do better,” she said. “I made so many friends and got to know and was supported by coaches too,” she said. Molly played hockey and lacrosse at Matignon. The challenges of this graduating class are well documented, and Molly, a [...]

Ash O’Brien has completed high school with a Graduate Equivalency Degree (G.E.D.) with a strong vision for the future. They (preferred pronoun) are preparing for college with the goal of becoming a music therapist. “It’s a way of helping people and I would love to be at Tufts or Children’s Hospital using music as a way to help kids or adults through hard times,” said Ash. “I’m going to UMass Boston with a major in Music Therapy and minor in Psychology which I think is the right combination, and really look forward to it.” Ash knows something about challenge and how to think about paths that allow for greater growth and less stress. Initially, a student at the Boston Latin School from grade 7 until [...]