There are some periods in life that are just quite eventful and stressful, and high school is one of them.

A lot of people have good memories of their time at school, while others may have absolutely hated it and are glad it’s over. Unfortunately, some people also don’t get to have the chance to actually go to high school, something that this inspiring teen knows all about.

Even though it may not be liked by everyone, high school is absolutely essential in one’s life, as it’s important for your future career and overall success in life.

Of course, education isn’t everything – some people are naturally talented and have a huge drive to accomplish things, but it can certainly make things easier.

Graduation is always a moment that many students look forward to, and the student who gives the closing speech at the ceremony is usually the student who has the highest rank: the valedictorian.

Being named valedictorian is most certainly not an easy task, your GPA has to be excellent (3.9 – 4.0) throughout all of your years in high school.

The accomplishment takes a whole lot of effort, hard work, and determination with nearly perfect grades.

Recently, Griffin Furlong was named the high school valedictorian of his school, but his road to success was a lot harder than your average student: he was homeless.

Griffin didn’t have the privilege to grow up in a stable household, and most of the time, he didn’t even have a roof over his head.

For more than a decade, he was homeless along with his father, and he had to endure his entire high school period without even having his own bedroom. He didn’t have a place to sleep, a place to freshen up, and he didn’t have a place to study.

This young man had every odd against him, yet he not only graduated, but he also did it at the top of his class.

Griffin was so determined to make the most out of his life, and he knew that a good education would be the first and essential step in doing so.

Being named the valedictorian was just the cherry on top, and it’s an absolutely amazing achievement in any circumstance.

His story didn’t go unnoticed and news stations wanted to interview him, and it quickly becomes obvious just how humble and mature the high-schooler is.

“I just want to show that anyone can do it, no matter what you’ve been through. I never want to live that life again. I do everything I do because I don’t want to live like that,” he said to ABC News.

Griffin’s father struggled financially after mom passed away from cancer. The costs for the family home were too high to carry alone, and they’ve spiraled into poverty since.

The young man specifically remembers one particular night when he was still at the family home, in bed.

There was nothing to eat and he was starving, but he always kept his head up at school.

He managed to hide his problems under a mask so well, that none of the teachers had a clue what he was actually going through.

Griffin wants to get a degree in engineering at Florida State, just like his older brother did. He already managed to get a housing scholarship but is hoping to get an academic scholarship for tuition as well.

If there is one thing that Griffin wants the rest of the world to know, it’s that you should never give up.

“Just never give up,” he said in an interview with TODAY.com. “Never let anyone tell you that you can’t do something, because I’ve been told that all my life. People would tell me I wasn’t smart enough, and now I’m here at the top of my class.”

What an absolutely inspiring young man!

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Source: ABC News (YouTube), TODAY