BROOKSVILLE
Rachel Hatfield Rahn has a lot to get used to these days.
She has a new, triple-decker name and a new human being to raise. Soon, she'll be moving to a new home in South Carolina and trying to launch a career. There's a new marriage to a husband headed for Army training, and a new social reality to figure out with her friends.
And, oh yes, tonight she'll get a high school diploma with her classmates at Nature Coast Technical High, right on schedule.
For an 18-year-old, that's a full plate, and she's happy to be carrying it. "It's exciting," Rahn said recently. "I'm glad that I'm this far."
Last year, the future didn't look nearly so bright. Pregnant and unsure of what her future held, she let her studies slide.
"I didn't care about anything last year," she said. "I was focused on other things."
Things didn't get any simpler this year. Her son, Elijah, was born Dec. 19.
That meant enrolling in the teen parenting program at Nature Coast, where about 30 students — mostly girls but also a few boys — get a crash course in balancing school with their new parenting responsibilities.
The program provides direct instruction in the details any parent must face — how to burp a baby, how to establish good sleeping habits — as well as help with the challenges of being a young parent. For Rahn, that has meant helping to care for toddlers while their teen parents were in class, and leaving her own child in the care of peers at the center while she studies.
Life is different now. She has less time for endless chats with friends, more in common with people in the world beyond high school. Being a teen parent is never an ideal situation, and many students in the program struggle, said teacher Pat Lonergin. But the reality is that some teens will always need help coping with the consequences of unprotected sex, she said.
"I wish I was out of a job," Lonergin added, wishing for a world in which all teens waited to be parents. "But in their defense, they've chosen to raise their children. We help them be the best parents they can be, and the best students they can be."
Somehow, that's what happened to Rahn. Rather than grow more isolated and immobilized with the birth of her son, she became ambitious and focused. She attended night classes, studied online, did whatever it took to get back on track to graduate. Earlier this month, she won her school's Turnaround Achievement award for her efforts.
"Perseverance, beating the odds," said counselor Carmela Sardogan. "She did everything she could to make sure she came back and graduated."
Her husband, Joshua, was there every step of the way to help. But this summer, Rahn will be on her own, as he begins a new Army career and she adjusts to life as a military spouse.
She doesn't have the highest grade-point average, nor the easiest future. But her teachers say she can do it if anyone can.
"I guess I just grew up," Rahn said. "I just wanted to get out of school and do something with my life."
Nature Coast Technical High School graduates
Destiny Abtey
Courtney Acevedo
Katherine Adams
Dior Agosto
Daniel Aiello
Zainah Alabed
Steven Albano
Emma Alexandre
Amber Allen
Brittany Allen
Jacob Almasy
Jaclyn Altieri
Dylan Anger
Meghan Arns
Danielle Autexier
James Baker Jr.
Nathan Barnwell
Melissa Bauknight
Leticia Bazaldua
Louis Bermudez
Barbara Berrios
Ashley Blackford
Teresa Brabham
Cassandra Bretagna
Emily Brockhoff
Samantha Brooks
Matthew Broughton
Edward Brown
Alysha Brunette
Robbie Burnett
William Busker
Kevin Butler
Travis Camacho
Zachary Cabrera
Michael Carrese
Ashley Carson
Anthony Carter
Tyler Caruthers
Amanda Casiotta
Justine Casiano
Courtney Castle
Alexander Challis
Russell Chapman
Ryan Clowar
Heather Cole
Chelsea Collins
Alexandra Colon
Michael Concepcion
Kyle Connelly
Elizabeth Coscia
Kaella Counihan
Devon Cox
Cristina Crane
Tara Crescenzi
Samantha Crowell
Kevin Crowley
Jordan Cuesta
Felicia Cullen
Tatiana Cupeles
Cody Curl
Samantha Daley
Patrick Danielewicz Jr.
Byran Dano
Carolyn Dano
Jordan Davila
Douglas Davis III
Katherine Davis
Monica Decardenas
Catherine Delz
Anthony Demeo
Brandon Derespiris
Alyssa Diaz
Damian Diaz
Juan Diaz
Anthony Degrigoli
Patrick Dixon
Caroline Dokoupil
Ashley Donald
Keith Donlon
Joseph Dono
Shawn Doolittle
Patrice Drake
Anthony Dunn
Crystal Estrada
Paul Falcone Jr.
Christopher Feins
Nestor Feliciano
John Ferrara III
Justin Fertig
Nataly Figueira
Kelly Finnican
Louis Fiore
Alexander Flores
Anthony Fraccalvieri
Douglas Francisco
Melissa Franco
Ryan Fuller
Hank Fyock
Stephanie Garcia
Gregory Garman
Ann Garofano
David Garton
Kenneth George
Samantha Gibbs
Rachel Glisson
Alyssa Goldman
Michael Gonzalez
Patrick Gonzalez
Michael Goodell
Brandon Gordon
Elizabeth Greco
Keith Green
Cherise Grossi
Robert Grubbs
Becky Guin
Monica Gula
Anthony Gutierrez
Gladys Guzman
Dylan Hagar
Kelli Harbaugh
Tiffany Harvin
Ashleigh Harris
James Hausen III
Nicholas Hernandez
Joy Herron
William Hinkle
Travis Hogue
William Holobinka
Allanna Honigman
Jeremy Hope
Cassandra Houston
James Huang
Kevin Hunninghaus
Chelsea Huntsinger
Aaron Jasiak
Jonathan Johnson
Aberlee Jones
Christopher Jones
Amanda Kapes
Adam Karpinski
Angelina Keys
Rachel Kibbitt
Sarah Kidder
Kyle Kinderman
Michael King
Kayla Kinney
Katlyn Kline
Thomas Koeller
Jessica Lai
Palmer Lake
Blayne Larocca
Timothy LaRose
Jessica Lathem
Bryan Lawson
Rachel Leavine
Andrew Leeman
Michael Liquori Jr.
Sarah Lonergan
Joshua Looman
Valerie Lovetere
David Luddeke
Machenzie Mackert
Thomas Maffatone
Rachel Manning
Amanda Maracich
Alyssa Marano
Danielle Marenghi
Brittany Marucci
Alexander Mason
Kristin Mason
Napoleon Mason
Rachel Maybee
James McCabe
Keith McCabe
Felicia McCaffrey
Andrew McCracken
Joseph McDonald
Erin Meehan
Rahimer Mejia
Mallory Mengler
Thomas Merendino
Wanda Meyer
Alexandra Meyerson
Alicia Miller
Anthony Mingari
Erin Mitchell
Nicholas Moore
Spencer Moore
Alexander Morley
Matthew Morrow
Kaylie Morse-Scism
Janina Muguercia
Latoya Munford
Travis Murray
Brittni Muti
Laci Muti
Jacob Myers
Brandon Nuby
Christopher O'Mahony
Peter Orgass
Justine Ortiz
Nicholas Ortiz
Jessica Otero
Melissa Owen
Brittany Padilla
Toni Palermo
Anthony Panariello
Jeanine Panepinto
Jay Pannozzo
Cameron Pareizs
Stephen Pelaez
Ashley Penfield
David Perez
Victoria Perkins
Michael Perreira
Kathryn Phillips
Daniel Piechowicz
Samantha Piskura
Jasmin Pititto
Brittani Pluskota
Christopher Polizzi
Matthew Powell
Zachary Power
Jennifer Price
Karen Priest
Ashley Pugliese
Jessie Quatararo
Bryan Raborn
Rachel Rahn
James Ralston
Aaron Randall
James Raymond
Derek Reardon
Krystal Reese
Stephanie Reyes
Alexandra Rideout
Louis Ritchie
Matthew Rittweger
Joshua Roberts
Nelsie Robinson
Taylor Roppolo
Phillip Rossi
Jason Rothenberg
Jean-Pierre Salazar
Kelly Sampson
Sarah Schaefer
Eric Schepper
Nicole Schmitt
Nicole Schnackenberg
Jasmine Scott
Ashley Sedlack
Alisha Sermons
Brittany Sessa
Katelyn Shepard
Rebecca Siegel
Bradford Signore
Joseph Silvestri
Reshma Singh
Shawn Sites
Jasmine Smalls
Michael Smith
Brett Sollazzo
Jaimee St. Hilaire
Katherine Stellpflug
Lauren Stone
Ashley Stout
Ryan Taylor
Jennifer Tellarini
Reshad Terry
Amanda Thompson
Danielle Thurmond
Sarah Tilson
Sara Toftegaard
Valerie Toohey
Tanner Tooker
Hope Totino
Kenneth Treverton
April Trezise
Richard Truncale
Blake Undestad
David Vargas
Lynette Vaughn
David Venable
Toni Venezia
Jennifer Viola
Matthew Voscinar
Kaitlin Wadsworth
Michael Wadsworth
Lauren Wajerski
Tonya Waugh
Ryan Webster
Philip Werner
Dominique Williams
Preston Williams
Kyle Willinsky
Jakara Willis
Courtney Wong
Lisa Wright
Matthew Yaist
Diana Yates
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