Mohamed Elbahwati dropped out of Pottstown High in 2019, just two months before graduation, writes Kristen A. Graham for The Philadelphia Inquirer.
He was struggling with depression, anxiety, and the lasting effects of a concussion, all of which made him think he was not cut out for school. He spent the following five years working different jobs to make a living and was sometimes worried that he would have to do that for the rest of his life.
However, last week, he collected both his high school diploma and an award for best adult learner.
“This is something to be proud of,” said Elbahwati.
The Pottstown resident was one of 67 graduates of Helms Academy. The program, run by the Goodwill Industries of Southern New Jersey and Philadelphia, offers adults a free and flexible pathway to earning a high school diploma along with academic support to get there.
“We are the place that you drop off your gently used stuff, and where you shop, but our mission has always been about helping people realize their economic potential,” said Mark Boyd, CEO of the regional Goodwill.
Read more about the Goodwill Industries’ adult diploma program in The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Helms Academy – You Oughta Know (2021)
