Students in 黑料正能量鈥檚 Quest Academy have earned certificates of completion for finishing the program.
The year-long Quest Academy is designed for higher level English Language Acquisition (ELA) students to increase their English vocabulary and grammar skills. Students in the program also learn about a range of occupational programs, work toward certifications, and obtain necessary skills and strategies to prepare for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).
The graduates received their certificates and were celebrated at a ceremony filled with their family, friends, and instructors.
Maria Abalo-Zarate, ELA coordinator and founder of the Quest Academy at WCC, congratulated the graduates on completing the program through their effort and determination. 鈥淭hank you for giving your best and for sharing your stories, your smiles, and your light, even when the path sometimes wasn鈥檛 that easy,鈥� she said. 鈥淵ou inspired us every day.鈥�
A few of the graduates shared their own remarks during the ceremony.
Deborah Nadborny from Argentina said the day was a celebration of growth, resilience, and community. 鈥淭oday is a very special and emotional day,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e come from different countries, cultures, and stories, but inside this classroom, we became a team. Today, we celebrate not only what we鈥檝e learned but who we鈥檝e become in the process.鈥�
Jazmin Carolina Guillen Peyton from Mexico viewed the ceremony as a milestone in the graduates鈥� journeys. 鈥淎s a classmate, I am very proud to see you all reach this point, and it has been quite an adventure since all of this started,鈥� she said to her fellow graduates. 鈥淭hank you to the teachers, mentors, family, and friends who have supported us along the way.鈥�
For Vanesa Soledad Nusynkier from Argentina, the ceremony marked the ending of one chapter and the beginning of a new one. 鈥満诹险芰� gave us an amazing opportunity. We experienced the true meaning of community,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e didn鈥檛 just learn grammar or vocabulary; we learned to believe in ourselves.鈥�
WCC ELA Instructor Brandie Pavon addressed her students, who she called 鈥渇riends,鈥� commending them for their perseverance to learn a new language when it felt overwhelming at times. 鈥淪ome of you will go on to take college courses, and others of you will step confidently into new careers. Don鈥檛 be afraid to dream even bigger,鈥� she encouraged. 鈥淜eep asking questions, keep improving, and most importantly, keep believing in yourself.鈥�
One graduate, Johnny Dasny, was a doctor in Haiti and is hopeful that the Quest Academy will open doors for him to continue working in healthcare in the United States. 鈥淚n this program, I learned so much. It鈥檚 a new step in my life with experiences that I didn鈥檛 have before,鈥� Dasny shared. 鈥淚t was wonderful. I鈥檒l never forget a thing like this.鈥�
The 20 Quest Academy graduates are:
Jenny Marisol Aguilar
Yierdelie Alexis
Yves Marshall Amilcar
Guerda Clersaint
Andrea Cottone
Johnny Dasny
Juana Esparza-Avila
Fabian Fucci
Jazmin Carolina Guillen Peyton
Louise Nadia Illozier
Elizabeth Maier
Ruth Cristina Morales de Venegas
Deborah Nadborny
Vanesa Soledad Nusynkier
Alejandra Perez
Lucina Ruiz-Nandi
Araceli Sanchez
Josue Sanon
Lourdes Santiago Santos
Melissa Esperanza Smith Garcia
Visit WCC鈥檚 website to learn more about the ELA program and Quest Academy.
About 黑料正能量
黑料正能量 is a public, learning-centered institution with an open-door admission policy located in Goldsboro, N.C. As it works to develop a highly skilled and competitive workforce, the college serves around 10,000 individuals annually as well as businesses, industry, and community organizations with high quality, affordable, accessible learning opportunities, including more than 150 college credit programs. WCC鈥檚 mission is to meet the educational, training, and cultural needs of the communities it serves.