Peabody Learning Academy Graduates Inspire At Northshore Mall Ceremony

PEABODY, MA — This year's Peabody Learning Academy graduates were honored during a commencement ceremony at the Northshore Mall Friday afternoon as they joined more than 30,000 Simon Youth Foundation alumni nationwide since Simon Youth Academies were launched in 1999.

Peabody Learning Academy is part of the SYF, which partners with local public school districts to operate alternative high schools, primarily in Simon Malls, for students at risk of dropping out of school.

SYF has helped more than 30,000 students earn their diplomas through 33 different Simon Youth Academies in 12 states and has awarded over $21.8 million in post-secondary scholarships.

Attendees at this year’s graduation included Peabody Mayor Ted Bettencourt and State Rep. Thomas Walsh.

Rick Gorman, Executive Director of North Andover Youth & Recreation Services for the past 37 years, delivered the keynote address.

Gorman oversees a 20,000 square foot youth center and is responsible for the operation of hundreds of programs that service 3,500 youth annually. He is a longtime supporter of Peabody Learning Academy and runs BST TRAINING, which offers team and culture-building workshops for schools, youth development programs, and sports teams.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)