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A graduation ceremony held at St Lawrence the Martyr Parish celebrated seven graduates from Notre Dame House and Regina's Place who have faced hardships such as homelessness, mental illness and becoming a young parent.

Joined by proud family, friends, teachers and support staff, graduates were commended for working hard to earn their high school diploma and securing a hopeful future.

There with the full story was CHCH's Matt Ingram: https://www.chch.com/a-graduation-ceremony ...

Students at Regina's Place (formerly Angela's Place) an organization helping young mothers and Notre Dame House (they assist homeless and street-involved youth) have been through many challenges to graduate. They celebrated their accomplishments at a touching ceremony on Tuesday, June 20, 2017.

"I was off my medication, withdrawing off street drugs, estranged from my family, homeless and terribly confused and alone," explained Notre Dame House valedictorian Marie Sinclair, "Over the past 5 years I was able to find stable housing, repair the relationship with my family, stabilize my mental health and go back to school."

"As young mothers we are often told we will never amount to anything." said Regina's Place valedictorian Caitlin Coates in her speech, "We are told we will never finish school, that we will always live in poverty and that young mothers are bad parents."

"We have the odds stacked against us but we don’t have to be just another statistic," she added, "I intend to break out of that stereotype because I have been told this is what I am and this is what I can’t do. I intend to prove everyone who has ever said or thought that about me wrong and I hope you all do the same."

Marie and Caitlin were just two of the students who beat the odds to complete their high school diploma through Regina's Place or Notre Dame House. Both programs offer credit courses through St. Charles Adult & Continuing Education.

GREAT JOB EVERYONE!