Scotty McCreery graduates from high school

(CBS/AP) RALEIGH, N.C. - Scotty McCreery is now a high school graduate.

Last year's "American Idol" winner walked across the stage at the Raleigh Convention Center on Thursday to collect his Garner High School diploma.

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"I've enjoyed these last 4 years.. wouldn't trade any of them for the world," McCreery tweeted Thursday morning.

Less than 12 hours earlier, the 18-year-old was in Nashville, Tenn., where he picked up the award for breakthrough video of the year for "The Trouble with Girls" at Wednesday's CMT Awards. The video was shot at his high school last year; something McCreery noted when he accepted the honor.

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"This award is special to me because I got to film this at my home high school," he said, according to The News & Observer of Raleigh.

After the awards show, McCreery and his family - parents Mike and Judy McCreery and sister Ashley - reportedly caught a midnight flight back to North Carolina so he could attend the 8 a.m. graduation ceremony.

McCreery plans to attend North Carolina State University in the fall.