JAY — Five students in the Adult Education program in RSU 73 received diplomas on Thursday evening of last week. Two students received the Adult Education National Honor Society Award and one student was the recipient of the Central Maine Community College (CMCC) Courage to Grow Award. 

Superintendent Kenneth Healey welcomed the students, their family and friends to the graduation ceremony. He said the journey to reach the peak of the academic mountain has often been arduous for those receiving a high school or equivalency diploma. Healey said, “Life’s education doesn’t stop at the awarding of a diploma.”

Healey told the graduates to cherish the evening, celebrate (in moderation), but continue the quest to educate themselves at any and all opportunities. He also passed along several helpful pieces of advice. Several of them drew chuckles from both the graduates and the audience.

Student speaker Tonia Roberson, a former college transitions student currently attending the University of Maine at Augusta, spoke of being 16, a sophomore in high school with excellent grades and trying to hold down a full-time job while living in her own apartment. She started missing school but after a call to the principal’s office when she was told never to give up and learned of an alternative program, she studied part time and graduated a year early.

“College didn’t cross my mind,” Roberson said. Through the years she worked a number of jobs and then cared for her children and grandchildren. Two years ago she was on her own and had alone time for the first time in 25 years.

Roberson attended a two week intensive career exploration program. Her areas of interest all required more schooling so she joined the college transition program at Spruce Mountain. “Without the college transition program, I would have given up,” she said. 

Roberson told the graduates to be their own advocates – know who to ask and where to go; finish what they start and put in their best effort; and if the wrong life choice is made, it’s possible to change that choice. “Persevere, never give up. From here, your choices are limitless,” she said.

Josh Hill and Jessica Johnson were then recognized for becoming members of the National Adult Education Honor Society, whose mission is to provide meaningful recognition to deserving adult education students, improve student employment opportunities, develop student ambassadors for local adult education programs and create adult education awareness with school administrators and state legislators. While making the announcement, interim director of the adult and community education program Wendy Moreau said, “Nationally, less than five percent of all adult education students receive this recognition.” 

Julia Edwards from CMCC then presented the college’s Courage to Grow Award to Jessica Johnson. The award is given to a student the staff fees will take advantage of the seeds planted. It entitles her to one course at the college tuition free. 

Diplomas were then presented to Heather Castonguay, Hilary M. Hebert, Josh Hill, Julie A. Israelson, and Ada Morse. Not present but also eligible for diplomas were Adrian Bates, Randy S. Bennett, and Michael E. Worth.

Before Moreau gave the signal to turn the tassels on the graduates’ caps she congratulated them on their accomplishments and said, “There are many things in life that we can’t control but we can control our actions and decisions to make the best of what life brings us.”

A reception, with cake and fruit punch, concluded the evening.

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