MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. — Change is a powerful thing.
The power of change was on full display at two poignant graduation ceremonies in Montgomery County on Wednesday.
At the first, four people graduated from the county's adult drug court program. The voluntary program takes nearly two years to complete and participants must finish all phases of the program, and show a commitment to recovery and sobriety.
It's a huge accomplishment in the fight against addiction.
"It's a joyous occasion for people who have been addicted to drugs their entire lives. They've altered their personal relationships, their inability to stay in anything meaningful in terms of their employment, they've turned their lives around," said Montgomery County State's Attorney John McCarthy.
In another uplifting moment, 49 middle school students are recommitting to their education. All 49 students graduated from the county's Truancy Prevention Program on Wednesday.
We spoke with one student and mother who say the pandemic played a big role in the problem. Each student is paired with a mentor to help get them back on track.
"I just got to talk to them about what was going on in my day, talk to them about what issues I had during the day. It was relieving," the student said.
"That's what every parent wants," said the student's mom. "You want your kid to want to go to school, so I think that the program really helps with that."
Congratulations to the graduates of both of these programs who have been working so hard to better themselves. It's never too late to turn it around!
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