On June 28, YouthBuild Philly held its annual commencement ceremony to honor and celebrate the accomplishments of the Class of 2024. The event took place at the Temple University Performing Arts Center, where family, friends, and invited guests gathered for an exciting and heartfelt celebration. A warm and vibrant energy filled the auditorium as graduates marched in a procession to their seats, while their families eagerly awaited the start of the ceremony. Before the official proceedings began, Erica Harris-Wilson, a YouthBuild Philly Class of 2024 graduate, opened the ceremony with a beautiful rendition of “Lift Every Voice and Sing.”
Shout out to Mr. Khalil Bullock (Mr. Lil), as this year’s master of ceremonies. Mr. Lil kicked off the event by setting the tone with the audience and welcoming Mr. Le’Yondo Dunn, YouthBuild Philly Chief Executive Officer (CEO), to the stage to thank our guests for giving their time to celebrate such a resilient group of students.
Dunn began by honoring the Class of 2024 and celebrating their academic excellence. From marching down Broad Street on the last day of Student Mental Toughness to graduation, this group of scholars have remained steadfast and focused on reclaiming their education since the very beginning.
The ceremony continued with a compelling address given by Principal Kazmir Davis, who celebrated her first YouthBuild Philly graduation as principal this year. Principal Davis began her remarks recognizing the hard work and dedication our graduates demonstrated to reach this significant milestone. She praised their perseverance in overcoming challenges, their commitment to their education, and their unwavering determination to build brighter futures for themselves and their communities.
Immediately following Principal Davis’ remarks, student leaders Adrianna Avila and Kysir White proudly presented this year’s YouthBuild Philly partner award to Truist, represented by Alvin McLaughlin, Truist retail regional leader and YouthBuild Philly Board of Trustees member. Truist joined the YouthBuild Philly movement in 2023 and has since made significant contributions to our mission. Their support has been instrumental in providing resources, mentorship, and opportunities for our students, helping to create a positive impact on their educational and professional journeys. We are deeply grateful for Truist’s commitment to empowering our youth and look forward to continuing this impactful partnership.
In addition to partner awards, we distributed several leadership awards and scholarships to students for their academic excellence demonstrated throughout the school year – kudos to this year’s awardees and scholarship recipients. We also recognized our staff and awarded them for their dedication to our program, our students and their passion to develop the next generation of leaders.
Recipients Include:
Carla Blue, YouthBuild Philly Child and Youth Care Instructor
Rich Chalme, YouthBuild Philly Attendance Specialist
Diamond Merriweather, AmeriCorps Community Projects Coordinator
Momma Sass, Program Operations Specialists
A highlight of this year’s ceremony was the student speaking portion led by the Class of 2024 Salutatorian Iyanna Byard and Valedictorian Aliyus Wright. Each provided their fellow graduates with well-earned words of affirmation, encouragement, and inspiration. We would also be remiss if we didn’t shout out Class of 2024 Tamara Dockery, who took to the stage to perform a beautiful rendition of “A Million Dreams” from “The Greatest Showman” movie soundtrack.
The event wrapped up with the awarding of diplomas to our graduates facilitated by YouthBuild Philly Board of Trustees Member Carniesha Kwashie. As students enthusiastically walked across the stage to receive their diplomas, they were cheered on by an audience of more than 800 guests composed of their families, friends, YouthBuild staff, and supporters. The Class of 2024 is a true representation of YouthBuild Philly’s core values of perseverance, excellence, and respect. We are proud of everything they have accomplished this year and wish them much success as they navigate this next chapter.
-YB Philly
