Community Education program brochures Metro North ABE - Consortium newsletter, Fall 2017 | Page 7

2017 ABE
Graduation
Leading by
Example
Metro North ABE hosted its 2017
Graduation Ceremony at Anoka High
School on Thursday, June 8, 2017. All
Metro North ABE students who
earned their GED, State Diploma or
Credit Recovery Diploma in the past
year were invited to participate.
Stories of student success
and achievements in their
community
Gary Litzau: Elk River
Community Education Center
Gary Litzau, a 78 year old retired ma-
chinist who worked in that industry
for over 35 years, began his journey
of earning his high school diploma in
April 2016 at the Metro North St.
Francis site. He transferred to the Elk
River site in August 2016 when the
diploma program was no longer avail-
able in St. Francis.
Gary devoted over 738 contact hours
in class and in distance learning pro-
grams to accomplish his goal. On June
15, 2017, he completed the last assign-
ments necessary to earn his diploma.
He participated in the Metro North
graduation ceremony and proudly
walked across the stage in his cap and
gown with his children in the audience
cheering for him. Gary didn’t need to
get his diploma, but it was something
that he had felt was important to have.
Gary was persistent despite the chal-
lenges of difficult courses such as Al-
gebra, Geometry, and Ecology. He
never gave up, and he often encour-
aged other students which helped them
fight through the tough times to get to
the ultimate goal, being a graduate!
Aide Hernandez: Elk River
Community Education Center
Aide Hernandez, an Elk River diploma
graduate, participated in a food man-
ager certification class offered at the
Metro North-Elk River ABE program
and earned her certificate in 2016.
She was excited when her accomplish-
ment became a huge benefit to her
church and to over 400 families from
around the state.
Aide was the sub-director for an an-
nual state-wide family camp event
hosted by her church for families in
need. This year the event was held at a
campground in Brainerd and approxi-
mately 400 families attended. When
the hosts arrived, they were told they
would not be able to utilize the com-
mercial kitchen for their fund raising
event unless they hired someone from
the outside who was certified, a cost
they were not able to afford. Aide sur-
prised everyone by providing her cer-
tificate. They were able to use the
kitchen not only for the fundraising
event on Saturday night but also to
cook or warm up food for the families
on Sunday. Because it was raining,
families who were in tents were not
able to use campfires to cook their
food. Fortunately, the kitchen was
available for them to make their meals
because she was there.
Keynote speakers Al Ickler, Anoka-
Hennepin School District Community
Education Director and Darcy
Hokkanen, Program Coordinator at
Anoka County delivered words of
inspiration to the 34 graduation
participants. Five student speakers
from 3 different sites took to the
podium and spoke about how Adult
Basic Education has positively
impacted their lives.
After the ceremony the graduates,
along with their families and friends,
Metro North ABE staff, volunteers,
and community members enjoyed a
festive reception with cake,
lemonade, pictures, and many
heartfelt words of congratulations.
“I’m so thankful for your ABE pro-
gram. If I hadn’t have taken that class,
I would not have been able to serve
and provide help for those families.”
Metro North Adult Basic Education | Ph: 763-433-4200 | www.MetroNorthABE.org
OCTOBER 2017
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