KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Leonard Weaver graduated from Austin-East Saturday morning as his class's valedictorian.
"This is one of the most powerful moments in my life," Weaver said. "It's a bittersweet moment because this is the school I've been at for four years, I've loved every moment of being here."
Weaver excelled at the school, taking on many roles.
"I was a drum major this year, I was the valedictorian, head 865 ambassador [and] ambassador of the Emerald Youth Foundation," he said.
Weaver's accomplishments were displayed in the cords wrapped around his neck.
"My achievements, they are more than just chords but this makes them tangible," Weaver said.
While his time wasn't perfect, he's happy to build on success stories that have come out of Austin-East.
"When I look back, I do have a lot of regrets and not in terms of what I did, but how I thought," he said. "Anybody that walks through these halls at Austin-East can go anywhere. And really, our only stopping factor is ourselves."
With the support of his mother who was not only proud to see her son graduate, but knows he can achieve anything he sets his mind to.
"I'm so grateful to God that he's blossomed into this great person," Senestra Weaver, Leonard's mother, said.
"I'm here showing people that I am more than just a statistic," Weaver said. "I can do more. I can do anything I put my mind to... that I am smart, I'm important and I'm going to change this world."