Anne Arundel County celebrates summer school graduates
BALTIMORE -- Dozens of Anne Arundel County students are celebrating a milestone after securing enough credits through summer school to earn their diplomas.
It's a story of perseverance for students like Danielle Hewitt, a 2022 graduate of Anne Arundel Evening High School who owes her achievement to time spent studying over the summer.
"I'm really excited. I've been working for this for a very long time," said Hewitt, who admitted there were a few times she didn't think she would graduate.
For Hewitt, the path to graduation was anything but easy. She acknowledged suffering bad anxiety after returning to in-person learning after going virtual due to COVID-19.
"It got to a point where I just stopped going to school and the school considered me a dropout," she told WJZ.
That's when Hewitt's guidance counselor introduced her to the option of Evening High School. For the first time she could remember, Hewitt found herself on the A/B honor roll.
"It worked with my anxiety a lot better… because it was a lot less kids," Hewitt said.
She was joined by nearly 40 other students Monday as they walked across the stage at Severna Park High School to receive their high school diplomas.
They were surrounded by friends, family, school administrators and staff for the occasion.
"One of the hallmarks, I think, of our summer school program is we're able to give the students the final support they need to get over that hump and finally make it to the stage to graduate," said Nelson Horrine, principal of Evening High School.
For students like Hewitt, summer school was key to making it all happen.
"I'm actually working as a teacher's aide right now and I'm working for more credits and more certifications to become a lead teacher at my place of work," she said.
Hewitt said having a positive experience her senior year is what influenced her to inspire others.
"I want to be able to help kids see the light in school and not think it's such a bad place because it's not," she said.