JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – As thousands of students prepare to celebrate their graduations this week, Andrew Jackson High School highlighted the inspiring story of one of its graduates, who, despite facing significant challenges, walked across the stage at the University of North Florida on Tuesday.
Despite spending years unhoused, Isaiah Drinkard, 19, received his high school diploma during Tuesday’s commencement ceremony.
But Drinkard’s journey to graduation was not easy.
“I was living outside in the street, so, like, I wasn’t even in a shelter,” Drinkard said.
But his story took a turn when a teacher at Andrew Jackson High School noticed his situation and alerted the school’s administration.
“I never was in that situation. I’ve been in education for like, 19 years, but once we saw the spirit of Isaiah, we knew that we couldn’t let him down,” Assistant Principal Sharmariton Ashley said.
Ashley and Principal Truitte Moreland, along with the school’s teachers and administrators, rallied around Drinkard, providing him with the essentials and the support he needed to succeed.
“Once they got involved, I felt like I wasn’t by myself, and I could ask for help and like reach out, because before I never realized. I thought I was alone, so I never really asked for help, but once they found out, and it was like, I have someone to go to,” Drinkard said.
Principal Moreland praised Drinkard’s determination and resilience, noting that while he received support, much of his success came from within.
“At our school, there are kids that go through struggles. There’s also kids that have great households, that have support. But Isaiah’s story is one where he, he turned it completely around, and he had to, he had support, but he really had to dig inside and do it itself. So that’s what makes him, for us, our remarkable graduate,” Moreland said.
With his high school diploma in hand, Drinkard is looking forward to a bright future.
“Every day I wake up, thank God. Thank him,” Drinkard said.
His plans include joining the military to serve and defend the nation, and possibly pursuing a career in law enforcement through the police academy.
For Moreland, Drinkard’s success story is a powerful reminder of why educators do what they do.
“It’s the why we sign up,” Moreland explained. “It fuels me to continue to do this work, this hard work, and I hope that I can capture some of that positive energy and spread it to my colleagues, because we all need it. So, it just keeps me going,” Moreland said.
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