SPRINGFIELD, MA (WGGB/WSHM) -- Veritas Prep Charter School graduated its first class of high school seniors.

More than 75 students participated in senior events before becoming the school’s first graduating class. Some left more prepared for college than they ever could have imagined.

Seniors at Veritas Prep Charter Public School donned their caps and gowns and paraded through the hallways of Veritas Prep’s middle school on Thursday. The 77 seniors will be the first class to graduate from the school since it opened its doors to its inaugural class in 2012. “It’s just so many emotions going through my head right now, so it’s really hard to process, but um, I feel accomplished that I did something,” said Yvonne Kuilan, a senior at Veritas Prep.

Many students will receive their high school diplomas and pursue a bachelor’s degree at a college or university of their choice. “I plan on going to Salem State University and I plan on studying criminal justice to become a police officer,” Kuilan said.

Some students, like Elijah Frederick, are leaving with a high school diploma and an associate’s degree with some college credits that will go toward their college education. It’s all thanks to Veritas Prep’s early college program. Through partnerships with Worcester State University and Springfield Technical Community College, students have access to credit-bearing, college-level courses.

Frederick plans to use credits toward a political science degree, with law school on the horizon. “It means a lot. It saves a lot of time. It’s pushing me forward and giving me an advantage that some of my peers that went to other schools might not have gotten,” Frederick explained.

On top of receiving a college degree, Elijah will also be giving a commencement speech at Springfield Technical Community College’s graduation as voted on by the college’s student body. “I got an email after my audition from Ms. Fuller. She let me know that I was selected for the commencement speech and then, from there, we just kept on going,” Frederick said.

Jamie Mesler taught Yvonne and Elijah their freshman and sophomore years. She said that comparing them from back then to now is like comparing completely different people. “I’ve got to see how they interact in the classroom as a freshman, where they could barely raise their hands,” Mesler noted. “To them being on the news and speaking up in meetings. The growth that they’ve shown is crazy. It’s like, four new people. A whole class of new people.”

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