Belfast Senior Will Graduate As Maine’s First Transgender Valedictorian
According to the Bangor Daily News, Harvard-bound Belfast High School senior Syd Sanders is at the top of his 109 member class.
He's also transgender. In fact, Sanders is the first transgender person in Maine, possibly the entire country, to graduate with such the distinction of being valedictorian.
His journey to really find out who he was took off while attending eighth grade at a school in Islesboro. As his peers had known him for years, it took some time for them to adjust to his identifying as male. Looking for a fresh start, Syd transferred to Belfast High School. Over time, people at his new school did find out that he was trans. By and large, they stepped up to support him.
Syd's parents had been concerned that, when their son came out as trans, he would not be accepted. Fortunately, they found that was not the case.
Ultimately, Syd says he'd love to, one day, be the United States' ambassador to the United Nations.
You can read more about Syd's journey HERE