We celebrated over 135 amazing Students, graduates from the past year, at our first annual LARE Institute Graduation Celebration, held June 16 at LARE Institute in Andover. We were so delighted to share the evening with their friends and family, who shared in our pride. The evening was a proud moment for us, their loved ones, and them!
The Graduation was covered in the June 17 issue of the Eagle Tribune. You can view the article by Paul Tennant and photos from the evening, by Ryan Hutton, here. Dalia Diaz of Rumbo News also wrote a column on the graduation in the June 22 issue of Rumbo News. You can view it here, the third piece down. A story on the Graduation was also featured in the July 1 issue of Rumbo News and you can read it here. It was also featured in the July issue of the Valley Patriot which you can view here.
Just before the graduation began, the LARE team surprised their graduates with a flyover plane carrying the message, “Congrats 2016 LARE Grads! #WOWMagic!” The excitement led into the Pomp and Circumstance march in, and soon the Graduation Celebration began.
Four Students spoke at the graduation. Marva Gooding, of the MS Office Program, spoke of the importance of encouragement and faith when taking that next step in life. Tanysha Hughes, of the Medical Assisting Program, spoke on the significance of family in your quest to achieve your goals. “Don’t let your kids be an excuse as to why you can’t finish, but let them be your motivation and inspiration as to why you will succeed and accomplish your goals,” she told her fellow grads.
Michael Gary, of the Pharmacy Technician Program, also addressed the crowd, sharing an encouraging message that we are never too old to learn something new. He, at the age of 52, went back to school and changed careers entirely.
The final speaker was Denise Moses, whose story is told below. She spoke to the audience about overcoming obstacles and working hard to make dreams come true. In addition to their advice, each speaker told his or her own inspiring story.
President and CEO Tom Connors then spoke to the students, telling them that what they’ve accomplished at LARE is just the start. “I hope you can become a person your friends, family, and the world never forgets.”
More than 135 Students then marched across the stage before switching their tassels in unison, marking their end as LARE Students and start as LARE alums. Congratulations Graduates!
Check out photos of the graduation, the flyover, Students celebrating with their families and more below. And visit our album here to see even more photos from the event.
Check out this story on one of our fabulous graduates, Denise Moses, as published in the June issue of the Valley Patriot.
Denise, appropriately dressed in Wonder Woman scrubs, poses with HiSET Instructor Jim Sullivan as she awards him a “World’s Greatest Teacher” plaque after finishing her HiSET exam with a perfect score.