Reaching our goals provides a good enough feeling on its own, but to receive support and acknowledgement from others when it happens feels even better.
A whole school got together to celebrate and congratulate one of their janitors for following his dreams by graduating college, deciding to stage a graduation ceremony of their own and giving him their best wishes before continuing his studies in the fall.
He's beloved by faculty and students alike, bringing a real positive influence to the school as well as brightening the days of the students who attend.
They created a schedule that allowed him to attend night classes while continuing his work, and this past summer, he graduated from Wallace Community College Selma with plans to continue studying at Auburn University at Montgomery in the fall.
On May 25, the last day of school for the year, students and staff joined together to create a graduation celebration, as well as a goodbye party. Students lined the halls with signs and cheered his name as he hugged various teachers who all spoke kind words.
"He has been a mentor to so many. He is such a light, a shining light, to everybody he's around," said Tracie Lane, a teacher at the school, in an interview with Good Morning America, "We congratulate you Derrick. We know the sky's the limit for you."
h/t: Good Morning America
