The Buckeye Community School in Marion graduated 180 students June 3.
Buckeye Community is a charter school with the mission of helping students thrive in a nontraditional high school, according to the school, which provides an alternative experience using individual tutoring, while not relying on online curriculums.
Bryanna Large, a graduate from Buckeye Community School-Marion, spoke during the ceremony about how instructors motivated students to keep coming in and the personal relationships she made.
“This journey was about healing,” Large said, according to a news release. “About fighting through my past trauma, abuse, and hardships. Learning how to believe in myself when it felt like the world forgot about my worth and finding my reason to keep going.
Alex Russell, another student speaker, described what led him to the Buckeye Community School-Marion.
“I haven’t always had the best attendance at school,” Russell said. “In fact, I might have the record for the number of withdrawals, but I never gave up and was committed to finishing high school. There were lots of ups and downs along the way, but I managed, with the help of my teachers and family, to keep going and turn in my exams. It wasn’t always easy, but I did it.”
While the graduation ceremony is held annually, students can graduate from the Buckeye Community School whenever they completed degree requirements. Students who finish early are welcomed back to celebrate their accomplishments.
This article originally appeared on Marion Star: Buckeye Community School hosts graduation for 180 students from around Marion
Reporting by Abby Bammerlin, Marion Star / Marion Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
