Who remembers that moment when you walked across the stage to receive your high school diploma? Maybe you had a supportive environment so graduating high school just felt like a normal thing to you. But maybe you had a rough time and needed some extra help to push yourself over the finish line. Maybe you even had to transfer schools or take night classes to finish after you had already turned 18.  Here at NYCID we help people who fall into the second category make it to that stage and receive their high school diploma, even if others had counted them out.

Recently students from Olympus Academy, Concord High School, and the Staten Island Young Adult Borough Center got their moment in the spotlight. These are students who did not take the traditional route to graduating high school, but made it, nonetheless. These students were helped along the way by our NYCID mentors and advocates. Our staff provides counseling along with internship opportunities to help our students not only graduate but provide them with the skills they need to succeed in life.

This is such a special time of the year for our staff as we get to see the hard work of our students pay off while they celebrate with their friends and family. We get to see their lives improve right in front of our eyes! and that’s why we do it!