LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Malik Smith grinned under his face mask when he crossed the threshold into what would have been his English classroom. In the final week of the school year, he saw Ms. Mucci's actual room for the first time in person; that's because he learned virtually all year.

Smith overcame many obstacles to graduate from Eastern High on Friday morning. He spent much of his childhood in foster care, switching homes, families and schools. He's moving forward, pausing to reflect on his accomplishment now.

Smith credits his honor roll status to virtual learning this year. It helped him focus.

Although honor roll is certainly an accomplishment worth celebrating, Smith says his biggest success will be realized when he walks the stage, takes diploma in hand, and turn the tassel on his high school career. 

“It's like, one of the biggest days to me," Smith said. "I get to be an adult now, I guess.”

He was quick to explain why he feels it's so important for him. Smith begins with his childhood, and youngest memories of living at home with his biological parents. 

“At a young age, I always had to protect my mom from my dad," he recalled. "I was five when I got really abused. I got stomped on, by my dad."

Smith spent time in and out of foster homes. He was born in Kentucky – lived in Florence, and switched schools quite a bit as a result of changing homes. Eastern High in Louisville is his second high school; before here, he attended Tate High in Lexington. 

"I felt like I had to raise myself, too, because I didn't really...I basically felt like I lived on my own. I had to raise myself," Smith said. 

His home now is at the Boys & Girls Haven. He's been in his own apartment there for about one month. It offers both independence and mentorship, he said: "this space to me, means growth."

When adolescents like Smith age out of foster care but still need a home, they can come to the Boys & Girls Haven. It's a residence whose tenants help make up JCPS' State Agency Children's Program. Malik is one of about 60 students.

It's no secret that foster children tend to struggle more in school than their peers; the National Foster Youth Institute (NFYI) claims the dropout rate for students in foster care is three times greater than other low-income children. NFYI also says only about half of foster children graduate from high school.

“One thing I always tell myself is, to keep striving for success and never look back on the past," Smith advised his peers. 

He's moving forward, but pauses to thank his favorite teacher. That's Sherry Mucci, his English teacher. 

"I'm just so proud of you,” Mucci was finally able to tell Smith in person, in her classroom. "I can't wait to hear what happens. I hope you do keep in touch.”

Smith plans to attend Jefferson County Technical College, studying Communications Photography after graduation. He also plans to soon reunite with his mom, who lives in Ohio.