New Orleans valedictorian lived in a homeless shelter as he rose to the top of his class

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Elijah Hogan came through a senior year of high school in a homeless shelter to make it to the top of his class. The 19-year-old recently graduated as one of two valedictorians at Walter L. Cohen charter high school in New Orleans. Hogan’s mother died when he was 8 and he had lived with his grandmother for several years. He ended up in the Covenant House shelter for homeless youth before his final year of high school. Hogan’s graduation ceremony speech applauded his classmates for getting through their trials and hardships. Hogan now plans to attend Xavier University of Louisiana and pursue a major in graphic design.