I'm Jada, an early graduate student, taking the same classes as senior students but being denied the simple right to walk on stage at graduation. My story is just one out of thousands. Like my peers, I've worked hard, made sacrifices, and looked forward to the day when I'd walk across that stage, a rite of passage that signifies the transition from adolescence to adulthood. Yet, that opportunity is being denied to me because of my early graduation status.

This personal battle is not just about me. It is about my mother who was denied the chance to see her child walk during their graduation due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It is about the thousands of students across the country who strive for academic excellence, graduate early, and yet are denied the recognition they so rightly deserve.

Research indicates that early graduates often show greater drive, tenacity, and ambition (Roderick M, Nagaoka J, Coca V (2009). "College Graduation: What Leads to Success"). They deserve the very same recognition, if not more, as their peers. This prejudice against early graduates diminishes their achievements, dampens their spirits, and invalidates their hard-earned success.

In essence, this is a call to schools, educators, and policy makers to rectify this oversight. Let us honor all students' achievements by allowing those who graduate early to walk the stage. Let us not strip them of the joy and satisfaction they've worked hard for.

Join us in this fight. Sign this petition now and stand up for fairness and inclusivity in academic recognition.