94-Year-Old Student Ready To Finally Graduate From Westford Academy

WESTFORD (CBS) - Westford Academy welcomed a new student this spring and she quickly became the most popular person in school.

She's also the oldest.

By decades.

Genevieve Johnson is 94 years old.

Genevieve was supposed to graduate from Westford Academy in 1936, back when it was just a one room school house.

She had just two-and-a-half credits remaining when she left school. It was the Great Depression and she needed to work.

Now 78 years later, she's getting a chance to finally finish high school.

"It means that I will gladly say that I got a high school education, which I've always wanted, and here I am and I'm going to finish," she told WBZ-TV.

The school invited Genevieve back when they heard it was her lifelong dream, but what they didn't expect was what she would offer them.

"Seeing her in class, so attentive, it's just really cool to see," said Westford senior Caroline Eliopoulos.

"This was amazing. This was an easy need to meet," Dean of Students Betsy Murphy told WBZ.

Genevieve is taking English, U.S. History, even an acting class.

"It isn't the same as when I went to school. We had homework naturally, but not as much as they do today," she said.

She's taking 12 classes in all, and when she's done, she will have met her requirements for graduation.

Because the state requires students to pass the MCAS before earning a diploma, Genevieve was only supposed to get a certificate of attendance at the end of the school year. But, the Department of Education will waive that requirement and she will receive a diploma when she walks at graduation.

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