High School Senior to Graduate with 13 Years of Perfect Attendance

— -- A Philadelphia high school senior will walk across the graduation stage tonight never having missed a day of school in 13 years.

James Dudley has achieved perfect attendance from kindergarten through his senior year of high school.

Dudley’s high school principal, Father James Dalton, confirmed Dudley’s attendance record to ABC News. He also said that Dudley had no conduct issues during his four years at Father Judge High School, an all-boy Catholic high school.

“It only happens about once every 10 years,” Dalton told ABC News of perfect attendance. “I think it says more about the parents, who make sure he gets out the door each day and gets to school.”

Dudley, who could not be reached by ABC News, told ABC station WPVI-TV in Philadelphia that it was, indeed, his mom who prevented him from ever missing a day of school.

He said he asked his mother about taking sick days over the years. “I tried, but all attempts failed,” he said.

“I told him, ‘If you're not throwing up, you're going,’” Dudley’s mom added.

At the Father Judge High School graduation, Dudley will be recognized for his perfect attendance record, Dalton added.

Dudley plans to attend Holy Family University in the fall to study meteorology, according to WPVI.