The thundering of applause for the 24 graduates of the Bellingham Public Schools’ Community Transitions program drowned out the pattering rain on the roof of the Depot Market Square on Thursday, June 9. Around 200 students, staff, friends and family members attended to celebrate the new batch of graduates.
“Community Transitions graduation is a very special celebration,” CT administrator Analisa Ficklin said at the start of the graduation. “These remarkable students that we’re going to honor this evening have completed their high school graduation requirements and have taken huge strides towards achieving their transition goals, from employment, continuing education and training and independence.”
Community Transitions is the district’s Special Education program for students 18 to 21 years old and helps them transition into adulthood. Each student has an individual plan to achieve their goals, which can range from learning to pay rent to driving a car to finding a career.
Jayden Kreiter-Williams and teacher Liz Madden hug at the podium. (Hailey Hoffman/Cascadia Daily News)
At the graduation, each student had a moment in the spotlight, a chance to speak at the podium as they officially left the school system.
Some students spoke about future careers in HVAC or in food service while others planned to go on to higher education at Whatcom Community College and Washington State University. Some simply talked about what they liked most about the program — the culinary classes or dressing up or participating in unified soccer. Almost every student touched on how grateful they were for the program and for the teachers.
“Without them, I don’t know where I’d be today,” graduate Maxwell Johnston said.
Seamus Jones looks at his diploma for the first time after receiving it from Superintendent Greg Baker. In the program, Jones improved his communication with the help of an iPhone text-to-speech program and gave his graduation speech with it. (Hailey Hoffman/Cascadia Daily News)
After the students spoke, one of their teachers would take a moment to share about the students’ journey and growth.
“You are pure joy. Congratulations,” teacher Dominique Lantagne said to Tyler Noskoff, the first graduate to be honored.
With new skills and understandings of the adult world, many of the graduates feel ready to take on new adventures.
“There’s still a lot of challenges to face. I see life as walking through a big, cold pond, trying to find the next rock to keep afloat and moving,” graduate Hamblet Ramirez said. “We need to step back and not forget that we have family, friends and teachers to support us, to help us walk across this lake and find the next rock.”
Zackary Wopat receives his diploma from Superintendent Greg Baker. (Hailey Hoffman/Cascadia Daily News)
David Seholm gives a graduation speech. (Hailey Hoffman/Cascadia Daily News)
Teacher Charlie Kintzele talks about graduate Ethan Personius-Naff and his progress through the program. (Hailey Hoffman/Cascadia Daily News)
A previous version of this story mispelled Analisa Ficklin’s name. The story was updated to reflect these changes on June 10, 2022, at 11:55 a.m. Cascadia Daily News regrets this error.
