Two years ago, he had no high school credits. Now he’s graduating from Fayette schools

Gabriel Mann is just one of 66 students who graduated from Fayette County Schools’ Success Academy this academic year, “a school unknown to many in the community where students are given one last chance of graduating, “ English teacher Trent Hamlin said.

Serving students 16 and older who have earned five or fewer high school credits, the Success Academy re-engages those students through nontraditional and accelerated courses to give them the skills needed to succeed, according to the district website.

Mann, at 17, didn’t have any high school credits, Hamlin said.

“His attendance and performance were not where they needed to be. He was quiet, introverted and kept largely to himself. Eventually something clicked with Gabe, and he began completing his coursework in a timely manner,” said Hamlin.

At 19, Mann is graduating.

“The teachers and the staff are a really good support system,” Mann said. “They just helped me a lot get through the school year and helped me get my work done.”

Hamlin told the Herald-Leader.: “I worked with him directly in English and his elective classes, and once he began accumulating credits, it was like a snowball rolling down the hill.”

“In addition to his coursework, his social skills developed tremendously while at our school. He loves sports and movies, so the two of us clicked automatically. He opened up to me in a very real way and we would have long, intelligent, sincere discussions about the world, his life, and his time growing up,” Hamlin said.

Mann credits his turnaround to a lot of hard work.

“I would go to school and do work and come home and do work. It was just a constant cycle,” he said.

Mann said he liked social studies and English. Now that he is graduating, he wants to go to trade school to work as an electrician or in heating and air conditioning.

Hamlin said Mann made several close friendships at Success Academy, “and we all celebrated him when he finally accomplished his goal of completing his coursework and accumulating the necessary credits to graduate.”

In a more traditional school, Mann said he didn’t always get the one-one-one help he needed to complete his work.

The Success Academy “will take really good care of you if you decide to go there,” Mann said.

“Gabe is a young man who I will treasure for the remainder of my career, and I am thankful to have had him in my class,” Hamlin said.

He said the school staff this year has “experienced tremendously uplifting memories that will last a lifetime.”

Fayette County Public Schools’ graduation ceremonies are scheduled for May 30 and May 31 at Rupp Arena.