Maddi Runkles, a pregnant student who was banned from her Christian private school's graduation for her 'sexual immorality', instead celebrated her own private graduation ceremony on Saturday.
Runkles, pregnant at 18, made international news last month when it was revealed that her school, Heritage Academy, Maryland, had banned her from walking at its graduation ceremony.
An alternative, private ceremony on Saturday saw Runkles celebrated and supported by about 100 family, friends and allies.
When headlines described Heritage as banning Runkles for her pregnancy, it said: 'Maddi is being disciplined, not because she's pregnant, but because she was immoral,' the college's administrator, David R Hobbs, wrote in a letter to the school community.
He added: 'We love Maddi Runkles. The best way to love her right now is to hold her accountable for her immorality that began this situation.'
Runkles learned she was pregnant in January and said she does not plan to marry her baby boy's father. The private, nondenominational school's code of conduct says that 'no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of the marriage commitment between a man and a woman'.
Its Student Pledge, which every student from 5<sup>th to 12<sup>th grade signs, commits them to abstinence from 'sexual immorality and from the use of alcohol, tobacco, and illegal drugs'.
Although punished by her school, Runkles won the support for pro-life groups for choosing to keep her baby.
'We are so proud of Maddi for not only her courage to make a good decision in difficult circumstances, but to be an example to other students in similar situations and challenge Christian schools on their policies towards pregnant students like herself,' said Kristan Hawkins, president of Students for Life of America, in a statement on Runkles' graduation, according to The Christian Post.
Hawkins spoke at the ceremony, and presented Maddi with a university scholarship for $16,000. Runkles currently has a place at Bob Jones University, a Christian institution in Greenville, South Carolina.
Hawkins said: 'I have no doubt that hearts and minds will be changed because of Maddi's courage and willingness to share her story. We gave her nearly 7,000 messages of support today that poured in from people around the world who encouraged her and were inspired by her. It was an honour to celebrate Maddi's achievements today and we can't wait to meet her baby boy in the fall.'
