Thirteen seniors from Mountain Charter Education High School celebrated their long-awaited graduation on Monday.
Habersham County Sheriff’s deputies escorted the students from the high school in the Fairview community to Antioch Baptist Church in Mt. Airy where they took part in the evening outdoor ceremony.
The event included socially-distanced seating for the graduates and MECHS faculty, a livestream for those who couldn’t attend in person, and radio broadcasting for the members of the audience in their cars.
“We believe in them even when they don’t believe in themselves.” – MECHS Graduation Coach Phyllis Carson
MECHS congratulated the class of 2020 for the achievements and accomplishments they’d made amidst a global pandemic. While their graduation might not have looked like how they imagined it, they still made it to the finish line.
“At Mountain Education Charter High School, our vision statement is, ‘The first choice for a second chance to build a better future through education,'” explains graduation coach Phyllis Carson. The school, which has eighteen 9-12th grade sites throughout North Georgia, provides students with alternative learning options to better suit their lifestyles and individual needs.
“Many of our students come from complex family situations, have a need to work during the day to support their family or themselves, or need the safety of a supportive faculty. I cannot stress enough how important the one on one connection we make with these students is,” says Carson. “We believe in them even when they don’t believe in themselves. I am honored to be part of such a caring family of educators!”
While only thirteen participated in the August 24 celebration, a total of twenty-eight students graduated from the Habersham site this year. They’ll all be recognized during a virtual graduation ceremony on Monday, August 31 at 7 p.m. that will be livestreamed on the Habersham MECHS Facebook page. Similar virtual graduations will be held at the seventeen other sites in the region.
