Graduation season is officially here. From master’s degrees to high school diplomas, Black women across the country are anticipating walking across the stage in the coming months. From the words of Michelle Obama “Girl you have done it again. Constantly raising the bar for all of us and doing it flawlessly.” One young Black woman graduated with honors despite the obstacles she faced.
Remaining Resilient
Jasmine Mazard-Larry graduated high school with a 8.07 grade point average. But Mazard started high school homeless. The Tampa graduate’s house burned down during the start of her high school career but she still focused on her studies. Good Morning America reported the teen enrolled in “Advanced Placement” classes and “dual enrollment. The publication noted, Mazard-Larry participated in the “Cambridge Advanced International Certificate of Education” program which improved her GPA score. School officials said the is at the top of her classes.
The Dr. Kiran C. Patel High School graduate joined student council, art club, marching band and the debate team during her high school career. Her managing a full class and extracurricular workload is made even more impressive by the fact that Mazard-Larry also suffers from ADHD and hearing loss. The scholar used her conditions as motivation.
Fox Soul reported, Mazard-Larry plans to attend Louisiana State University this fall as a biochemistry major.
A Proud Mother
Fox Soul also reports that Mazard-Larry’s father was severely injured during the fire at the family’s home and died from his injuries. The student’s mother, Nidta Mazard, was pregnant when the fire broke out. She told Good Morning America, that she almost died during childbirth.
The mother praises her daughter for her the help she gave during her brother’s first few months. Mazard-Larry often assisted her mother by baby-sitting the boy. Mazard said her daughter is her “light” and she deeply loves her.