OTAN News
Congratulations Adult Education Students!
After celebrating adult education teachers during Teacher Appreciation Week and classified staff during Classified School Employee Week, it seems only fitting that we conclude the month of May with a celebration of our students who are graduating and completing adult ed programs. There are so many inspiring stories and photos about our adult ed learners that are being shared online and via social media that it is hard to pick only the three below!
84-year-old Marcella Baca will graduate next week with her high school diploma from Merced Adult School. Marcella left high school over 60 years ago to help run the family business. Although she thought she would return one day to finish, she never did. Encouraged by her family, she returned to school to finish the work and earn her diploma. She will be giving a speech at the graduation ceremony to tell others that it is never too late to reach your goals! Read more about her story.
58-year-old Adolfo Gonzalez earned his bachelor's degree from CSU Monterey Bay. But the story of his education in the US began at the Salinas Adult School, where he first studied English and eventually earned his GED diploma. It took many years, as Adolfo was a farmworker who worked many long hours and often moved for work to support his family. After he earned his GED, he transferred to Hartnell College and then CSUMB. As part of the service work he needed to complete for his degree, he went back to Salinas Adult to tutor students in English. Adolfo is now preparing to become a Spanish teacher to help raise the educational level of his community. Read more about his story.
At OTAN's home, the Sacramento County Office of Education, there is a very special program called Operation Recognition which awards high school diplomas to individuals whose educational lives were interrupted by service during World War II, the Korean War, or the Vietnam War. Operation Recognition also awards diplomas to Japanese-American citizens who were forced into internment camps during WWII and were not able to complete high school. SCOE recently had its 2019 ceremony and you can read more about this year's honorees.
In this season of celebration, we congratulate adult learners across the state who have achieved their goals and are following their dreams!
Article: 84-Year-Old Woman To Graduate From Merced Adult School from the Merced Daily
Article: From fields to classrooms: Former Salinas farmworker earns bachelor's with honors at 58 from the Salinas Californian
Article: Belated Diplomas Awarded to U.S. Veterans at 2019 Operation Recognition Ceremony from the Sacramento County Office of Education