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Dublin alternative school students defy expectations with graduation

Moore Street School is a school for students that need schedule flexibility, need to retake classes, or have behavioral issues.

Students across middle Georgia are getting ready to graduate this month, including students that go to an alternative school in Dublin. We spoke to one student that said despite being told "no" all her life, she knows with hard work, anything is possible.

Moore Street School students spent their morning practicing for graduation, a day Ashaunti McCray says she never thought she would see.

"All my life, I just heard, 'You can't do it, you're not going to make it,'" McCray said.

McCray said her mother moved her down to Dublin from Atlanta 2 years ago. When her grandmother got sick, she said, with the stress at home, school became unmanageable and it was hard for her to stay in regular classes in high school.

"'Well, you know, you gotta do this, you gotta do that,' I was thinking In my head, 'Oh, my gosh, I can't do this. I'm going to give up,'" McCray said.

So McCray enrolled into Moore Street School, the Dublin school district's alternative school for students who have discipline problems or need a flexible schedule. Principal Brian Howell said he saw McCray go to school for 10 hours each day during the week and says her hard work and the other 26 graduates have paid off.

"I'm overwhelmed and just joyful for them and happy for them. A lot of them have been told they can't do it," Howell said.

Howell said 80 percent of their graduates will be going to college, the military, or working full-time.

McCray says she still trying to figure out what she wants to do next.

"I like doing hair and I want to go to the Army, so it's kinda out of them two," McCray said.

Students like McCray show, despite a tough life, with a little help and a positive attitude, anything is possible.

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