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GUILFORD COUNTY, N.C. -- A Guilford County Schools student is graduating this week with both her high school diploma and an associate's degree in aviation management.

Imani Nasir-Phillips attended the Middle College at GTCC and studied in the aviation program. She said she dealt with a lot of struggles over the years. For one, because she didn't have transportation, her routine was to wake up at 5 a.m. to use city bus routes to get to class on time. Her mother walked her to the bus depot in the dark every day to make sure she was safe.

"My whole family sacrificed to help me," she explained. "Because when you are an academic student, you know college is expensive. If you don't think you can pay for it, it's best to get those courses under your belt as early as possible."

She'll have 85 credits under her belt as she heads this fall to the prestigious Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Florida, the world's oldest and largest aviation university.

"When I step foot on that campus, I know I'm gonna burst into tears because all the struggles and the days where I didn't want to keep going? It's all going to feel real."

Imani has wanted to be a pilot ever since she saw a Beyonce music video for U.N. Humanitarian Day years ago.

"In the video, there's a clip of an air drop. And that clip -- I'm still getting all worked up now -- because it inspired me. One little clip of an air drop of supplies and food over people in need. That just kinda woke something up in me."

Imani would love to use her pilot skills one day to help people in need.

She's also earning an award for completing more than 250 hours of community service.

She works part-time at Wendy's to earn money for college and, now, to be able to afford her dorm room supplies.

Congrats, Imani! Her graduation is scheduled for Thursday.