It was a moment to celebrate.
10 students that had given up on themselves, instead found success. And with the help of Climb Community Development Corporation in Gulfport, they got their high school diplomas.
The odds were against these students. They were high school drop-outs that were on the verge of becoming a burden on society. But Climb CDC, perfectly positioned in the Gaston Point community of West Gulfport, reached out and lifted them up.
“A lesser person would have quit, but you kept your head up and you pressed on,” said Climb CDC Chief Executive Officer John Whitfield during his address. He was talking about one student, but the description applied to them all.
“There’s nothing that can stop you, but you yourself,” Whitfield continued. “Don’t get in your way.”
Knowing that this achievement was only a starting point, graduate Tatianna Hill’s opening prayer asked for grace and inspiration for her classmates.
“Inspire us to believe in the goodness in life, even when faced with challenges and difficulties,”
she said.
The class Valedictorian was not chosen for his grades, but for his “dedication” to success.
Jonathan Morgan said he joined this program because “being 18 and in the 10th grade was not the right position for me. So, I went out and found better. And the better was Climb CDC.”
Several speakers talked about the importance of family and community.
“I went down a rough path,” Morgan said. “I’ve been kicked down, but Pops, Granny and GrandPops have always picked me right back up.”
“You are the success stories of this community, you,” said Jake Cook., Chief Operating Officer of Climb.
He challenged the graduates to “take it to the streets.”
“When you start instituting what you learned to someone else, that’s how we can change the community,” he said.
“A powerful mind can achieve anything,” said graduate Jamiah Allen in her Student Expression speech. “And I feel like all of us have a powerful mind because we did it. Congratulations y’all.”
Overwhelmed with emotion, Allen too dropped her head to the dais in tears.
Robert Perez, who had been her teacher and mentor through the program gave her encouragement.
“That’s what happens when you’re successful,” he told her. “You have tears of joy. Because you have come to a platform that nobody said you could do.”
Perez was credited with making the Academy program a success.
“Now we have other school districts calling us, wanting to know how they can get involved in this program,” Cook said.
Climb CDC has helped an estimated 300-plus students get a GED, but this was the first time they have been able to award full high school diplomas.
In addition to the traditional classroom education, Climb offers a full array of services including a drop-in center for youths ages 16-24 at their Family Enrichment Center on Old Pass Road. There they can find food, safety, and case management.
Other classes offered include career readiness, life skills, parenting, and anger management. In addition, Climb also provides skills training through their Youth Build, WIOA, culinary, and Conservation Corps programs.
Climb CDC’s mission is to “promote strong communities by providing individuals access to opportunities that inspire self-reliance.”
“I feel better about my future because of what you have done,” Whitfield said to the graduates.
