LYNN, Mass. —

Starting high school is tough enough, but imagine doing it after moving to a new country, learning a brand-new language, and trying to make new friends.

That's the story of 18-year-old Ghafour Diallo, a Lynn English High School senior who's turned every challenge into fuel for success.

When Diallo joined the school's JROTC program as a freshman, he spoke no English. But he jumped in, hoping to pick up the language, meet people and find his place in a completely unfamiliar world.

He also didn't shy away from the hardest parts.

"The rifle is heavy, 9.5 pounds," he said with a laugh, remembering the early days of drill team. "At first, I thought I could never do it. I saw people spinning the rifle together and said, 'No, this is impossible.'"

Impossible is something Diallo

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