MOHAMED
We could not be more excited to congratulate Mohamed Yussuf on graduating from North High School and being accepted into Quinsigamond Community College!
Mohamed’s life began in Ethiopia. His family found themselves moving to Somalia for a short time, but they returned to Ethiopia. For most of his young life, Mohamed called Ethiopia home, eventually moving to the U.S. in 2014. It was Mohamed’s first time in the U.S. Upon entering the new country, he remembers feeling shocked by the cold but amazed with the culture.
When Mohamed arrived in the U.S., he was still learning English. He spent the first couple of weeks completing documentation and mandatory vaccinations. Immediately after, he launched into his new life and school career at the New Citizens Center (NCC).
Mohamed began attending ACE about one year after moving to Worcester. He learned about ACE through his friends from school. Mohamed enjoyed the program activities and opportunities to improve his school work.
“Going to ACE helped me a lot,” Mohamed recalls. “When I went to NCC, my English was not good, and I didn’t get a lot of homework done. I went to ACE, and they helped me with homework and introduced me to lots of new friends. My English got better, too.”
Mohamed eventually transferred from NCC to North High, where he built onto his academic success and participated in the school’s track and soccer teams.
“When I joined ACE, I was a little boy, like a kid. ACE helped me mature. ACE has always helped me, and I feel like ACE will always be there for me.”
Reflecting on his proudest accomplishment, Mohamed said, “I am the first one to graduate from high school and to attend college in my family. All of my family is so proud of me.”
While walking the graduation stage, Mohamed saw his family cheering him on. In the crowd of happy family members, he focused his gaze on his six siblings.
“I was just so happy that day because I could show my brothers and sisters that I did it. I want to be a role model for my little brothers. I want them to all know that it is possible — to have a better life in the future and to finish high school and college.”
Mohamed faced many challenges coming to Worcester, but these difficulties have shaped his fearless mentality going forward.
“When I was entering high school, people told me it would be hard. People tell me now that college will be hard. But I feel like the transition from high school to college will be just like going from NCC to North High. If you do your work and get your stuff done, it’s going to be easy.”
We are SO proud of this year’s ACE high school graduates! You can support graduating students like Mohamed by donating to the Post Secondary Success Fund here.
We also hope you join us in honoring the graduates at the ACE Festival on September 18th, 2021. You can register by clicking here.
We will continue to share inspirational stories this summer. Please share your congratulations for Mohamed in the comments or on social media.
