The Bronx Engineering and Technology Academy on Wednesday visited students who can’t have a full graduation due to state social distancing regulations. 

There was a lot of excitement for Joelvy DeLeon, who is officially a BETA graduate. 

School staff says he survived an abusive adoptive family and that when his guidance counselor, Mohammed Ali, and Assistant Principal Richard Dickson learned of it, they stepped in. 

They helped get him safe housing, a part-time maintenance job at Rockefeller Center and kept him in school. 

The 19-year-old was ecstatic to make it to this day, and says it is an achievement he doubted he could reach. 

BETA staff has been traveling across four boroughs to honor 32 graduates. 

 

Cars were decorated, with "Pomp and Circumstance" blaring from the car stereo. 

Staff members say they know the obstacles that DeLeon faced, and say it's important to recognize him.

The school will surprise more graduates on Thursday. 

DeLeon plans to move on to college, but he is still trying to decide what he will major in.