It’s the "June Heartbreak": students finding out they did not pass their senior year. They will either have to repeat the year or go to summer school. Regardless, students would not be walking at graduation.

For most, it would be easy to give up or drop out. Some take up the call to work hard and go to summer school to finish what they need to do. Even so, these students do not get to participate in the same graduation process as the other students.

“We used to have the ceremony in my office,” says Gerry Habershaw, principal of Pilgrim High School.

Eight years ago, when Habershaw was the principal at Warwick Veterans High School, he decided that graduating seniors should be able to walk at graduation after they passed their summer school program.

“They persevered; they worked hard,” he said. “The parents want to see their kids walk on stage to get their diploma.”

Habershaw said that Eugene Nadeau of the Warwick School Committee saw the graduation ceremony and wondered why it wasn’t happening for all Warwick public schools. Warwick Veterans High School joined Toll Gate and Pilgrim to celebrate the summer school graduates.

The path to graduating is not an easy one. Students met every Monday through Friday for a month. They used “Edgenuity,” an online program that lets each student learn at their own pace.

“Some kids even finish a week early,” said Timothy Kane, summer school principal.

During the regular school year, Kane is the assistant principal at Toll Gate. He wanted to participate in the summer school because “it is a great opportunity to take these kids and help them get to the end goal.”

Perseverance was the main theme of the ceremony.

“Grit and perseverance are what this is all about,” said Superintendent Dr. Philip Thornton.

Faculty and staff emphasized that hard work deserves to be celebrated. It wasn’t hard to find graduates celebrating the end of summer school. After the graduation ceremony, Noah Durand of Pilgrim ran outside to light up a celebratory cigar.

“I’m happy I did this and got to walk,” said Durand.

Looking forward, Durand is researching different music programs to continue his education.

“I didn’t want to repeat my senior year,” said Nicolas Tavares of Toll Gate. “I needed to get it done.”

Tavares will be continuing his education in the General Studies program at the Community College of Rhode Island. His graduation cap had a message written for all watching: “If you’re reading this, I graduated.”

Those receiving diplomas from Toll Gate High School are Alyssa Aldridge, Jarry Berrio, Connor Cabral, Zachary Schultz and Nicolas Tavares.

Those receiving diplomas from Pilgrim High School are Gianna Rose Derisier, Noah M. Durand, Faith-Nicole Gelinas, Ryan Haley, Evan Michel Noel, Ethan Riley, Paul Lemuel Charles Riley and Sarah Emily Taylor.