Shahad Al-Azazi, 15, will soon graduate from high school and likely become the youngest graduate in Sweden. Five years ago, she and her family arrived in Sweden, and in just a short time, Shahad was able to learn Swedish. She skipped several grades and finished primary school with top grades. ”Several people told me that I would never catch up with the others, but I didn’t let that affect me,” she says. Shahad was born in Iraq in 2007 and moved to the Netherlands at the age of two. She lived there until she was ten years old and then moved to Södertälje, Sweden. Starting school in fifth grade was difficult for her, as other children said that she needed to learn the language before they could play with her. She felt like she was falling behind and had lost herself. However, Shahad decided to study hard and catch up. She studied every day after school, asked many questions in class, and asked teachers for extra assignments. She studied a lot at home and even woke up in the middle of the night to review for exams. It didn’t take long for Shahad to catch up, and the studies no longer felt challenging for her. When she was in sixth grade, everything was too easy for her, so her mother researched the possibility of skipping a grade. The school agreed to move her up a year, and after sixth grade, Shahad was able to start eighth grade. She successfully completed both eighth and ninth grade in one year and finished primary school in the summer of 2021 with a grade point average of 337.5. She received an A in all subjects except for Swedish and English, in which she received a B. After completing primary school, Shahad started studying at the Correspondence High School in Kalmar County. She is currently studying the natural science program online and at her own pace. Despite her accelerated education, Shahad still participates in activities that other children her age do, such as playing tennis, violin, and piano. She interacts with peers through these activities and doesn’t feel like she’s missing out. In December, Shahad will finish her high school studies and will likely become the youngest graduate in Sweden. Her goal is to get into medical school and become a surgeon in the future. Her mother is extremely proud of her achievements.
