For students graduating from high school, graduation is a formal ceremony marking their success and independence. Going up the stage and receiving that diploma makes you look back and remember your nerve-wracking first day in high school. With the coronavirus outbreak, many schools opted to cancel their graduation ceremonies.
It is an experience that Rizal Gutierrez wanted to feel. He and the rest of his batchmates have been long waiting for this moment but because of the covid19, their graduation was postponed. Then his school, La Consolacion University Philippines decided to continue with the online graduation last June 13, 2020.
Gutierrez had a very challenging high school life, he recalled. Having a rare facial cleft condition, he experienced discrimination and bullying from his peers. In many cases, people with physical disabilities were found to have lower literacy and school participation but that is not the case for Gutierrez.
He even graduated with high honors and now very excited to continue his journey in college. His physical condition didn’t stop him from reaching his goals in life and now he plans of taking Architecture. His dream, when he was younger, was just to finish Elementary and now he is a step closer to starting college.
His Facebook post went viral and inspired many people. Indeed, you can never judge a book by its cover.
“Thank you God! Sa mga challenges na binigay mo sakin para patatagin ako sa mga failures and inability to achieve something pero proven na kung ano ang pinagdasal mo at kung ano ang deserve mo, ‘yun ang makukuha mo. “
” Maraming Salamat sa mga sumoporta’t naniwala at nagtulak sakin pataas.. Friends, Teachers, Scouting, Family, “ an excerpt from Gutierrez’s Facebook post.
Now, this viral post has 9.4K comments and reached 29k Facebook shares. Congratulations Rizal Gutierrez and to all the graduates of 2020.