Local student goes from drug dealer to valedictorian - WNEM TV 5

A Saginaw student has graduated valedictorian of his class with a 3.6 grade point average while leaving behind a life of drugs and violence.

MLive.com reports (http://bit.ly/MwWA4d) that Ray Buitron Jr. told the Learn to Earn Academy 2012 graduating class of about 14 students that the academy "has been a home" to him.

The academy in Saginaw is for students who have dropped out of high school.

Buitron accidentally was shot in his legs by friend in 2010. A month later, he was expelled for selling marijuana at a former school.

He now is looking toward the future and has moved into his own apartment.

Buitron plans to study to be a physical therapy assistant and hopes to work as an athletic trainer for a sports organization or school.

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