Chicago CRED hosted its ninth annual high school graduation on Thursday, August 21, at South Shore Cultural Center for a new class of 58 participants enrolled in the community violence intervention (CVI) organization’s program. CVI programs like CRED help individuals at high risk of shooting or being shot transition away from the streets and into the legal economy through outreach, life coaching, trauma treatment, education and job training. Since CRED’s founding in 2016, 400 participants have earned high school degrees through the Penn Foster virtual high school program. Many CRED staff and some participants have also pursued on-line post-secondary education opportunities through a partnership with Southern New Hampshire University. In addition to 58 new high school graduates from CRED, the program on Thursday also recognized participants who graduated earlier in the year, participants in other CVI programs, and staff members who have earned new education credentials. All told, 112, people were honored at the event.

Photo Credit: Chicago CRED