 Could you please stand and remain standing as the graduates enter the auditorium? Oh, thank you very much. Please be seated. You guys clean up good, you look good. Thank you all for coming and sharing in the celebration with our graduates. I would like to introduce, as we begin this morning's festivities, our CEO of Learning Works, Ethan Strimling. In the back, Jeannie Wynott-Vickers, Director of Educational Excellence, and sitting next to her, Linda Cohen, Director of Development. And do we see Doug Libby? OK. Doug Libby, who is our Director of Finances, and Brenda Smith, the Director of Community-Based Youth Services. We also have in the audience Colin O'Neill from the Department of Corrections. Colin, thank you for coming. A little aphasic there for a moment. Anybody else I missed? Do we have any board members? Carol Parker. Board member, Learning Works. Thank you, Carol. And? Oh, Andy, it's here from Shelly Pingree's office. Thank you, Andy, for coming. Unfortunately, the honorable Congresswoman, United States Congresswoman, Shelly Pingree, was scheduled to speak today, but unfortunately, was not able to make it due to flight changes. So hopefully we will have her join us maybe at our next graduation. So thank you. Who else am I? I missed anybody else? Thank you very much. Thank you, Linda. It's hard to see up here. That's my excuse. OK. We would also like to thank the Portland Public Library for so graciously allowing us to use this facility. They're just fabulous with helping us do setup and lights and audio, and we really do appreciate their sharing the facility with us. These students have successfully completed their youth building alternatives requirements, which were developed based on their individual needs. But all of those pieces included an academic portion where they, many of them passed the high set. Others demonstrated at least two years of academic growth. We have vocational training. They completed their HBIPAC certification and construction, or an NCCER certification. And many of them have a culinary arts certificate. They also have OSHA 10 certification. They have jobs for main graduates classes that they have completed. Leadership development, some of them served on the YBA policy committee, and they've all completed at least 30 hours of community service in the greater Portland area. So we are extremely proud of their accomplishments and are glad that they are here at their commencement ceremony. We will start this morning by introducing our first speaker, Gloria Oriel. Welcome, Oriel. Thank you. I'm so excited to be standing here right now. It's been a long journey, but we made it. So it's a fervorive one set. So many of our dreams at first seem impossible. Then they seem improbable. And then when you summon the will, they soon, excuse me, become inevitable. I've always imagined going on to bigger and better accomplishments in life, but I wasn't sure how. When I attended during high school, my peers weren't the best. We'd skip class and leave school, although my support system, Mr. Moses and Ms. McStay, were always so supportive. Thank you so much. School never felt like a requirement in our lives. When I attended youth build, the courses and peers around me showed me that I needed education and I wouldn't ever be anything without one. I never was confident enough with myself to know I was capable of anything I set my mind to. I've had a lot of experiences and opportunities in my life, but none can add up to the achievements I've had while attending YBA. I've done woodworking, culinary, and my most favorite, JMG. My teachers have been so supportive and reassuring. YBA and its staff has taught me to be a job ready young adult. My teachers and directors have been extremely helpful with resources for schooling and a career. The environment feels so welcoming and comfortable, which makes learning fun. I'd like to thank God first for this opportunity, my family seconds for being so supportive and patient with me, and last but definitely not least, Sonny and the rest of the staff for such an enjoyable and entertaining experience. Robert Louis Stevenson said, don't judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant. Waste of time is time you will never get back and everyone has a fair share of 24 hours in a day. It's up to you what you make of it. Congratulations class of 2014. Introducing my fellow graduate Jeremiah Baker. As we stand here today, on this stage, our future stands with us. This day marks the day my fellow graduates and I cross threshold from student into our adult lives. It's not hiding around the corner, it's here, it begins now. The education we've earned here will serve as a first stepping stone to our future. We will each have our own paths, our own stepping stones. One thing that is guaranteed in life that along the stone paths we encounter is that we will encounter boulders we have to overcome. What I'm asking from all the graduates here is that you meet these challenges with an open mind and your head held high. Leave no stone unturned and do your utmost to its sell in every endeavor, large or small. The future is truly in our hands. To the teachers at YBA, I would like to thank each and every one of you for taking the time to share your knowledge with us. While I recognize that you're just doing your job, you end up doing so much more. Whether it's changing the lessons so we'll actually participate or taking the time with each one of us to make sure we understand what we're being taught. You exceed the expectation each one of us can expect from you. You set the bar high and challenge us to pass us and I can't thank you enough for that. To the director of YBA, Sonny Waterman. You may not think I've been listening all those times you've talked to me, but my ears have been soaking up what you say. You've taught me a lot about life, that everything may not work out the way we want it to and that sometimes you just have to suck it up and deal with it. What someone else does isn't going to guarantee us success and guarantee us anything in life and that we hold the key to our own success. Thank you for always putting up with me, listening to me, and encouraging me along the way. I appreciate it. I would like to end my speech with a quote from Steve Jobs, 2005 Stanford commencement address. Your time is limited, so don't waste living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by a dogma, which is living with the result of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others opinion drown out your own inner voice and most important of all have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become everything else's secondary. Thank you all very much. I would now like to introduce Ethan Strimlin, the CEO of LearningWorks. Did he make you cry, Sonny? He did, yeah. He'll be all right, Sonny. Said his goal yesterday was if he could get Sonny to cry, then he knew he did a good job, so. But honestly, it's not that hard to get Sonny to cry at a graduation, so. But you did do a good job. My name's Ethan Strimlin. I'm the CEO of LearningWorks and I really wanna say thank you for being here today. First and foremost, you know that Shelly Pingree was supposed to be here, but she was doing her job down in Washington, DC, and they had votes late into the night last night, so she was not able to get a plane here in time, and Andy, who's here, was here representing her, and she wanted to send her best, and she's gonna have something that she's gonna send all of you later so that you can hear from her a little bit, but we really appreciate the work that she does and look forward to her coming to a future graduation. So thank you for coming, Andy, for sure. You know, these moments are always the best. They're always the best. Let me see if I can get you to cry. You probably will. No. It's these moments are the best because the road that you've walked is so hard and you've achieved so much, and for so many of us who have never had to walk the kind of road that you've walked, it's inspiring. Because I don't know that I could have done it because even though I might have made bad choices when I was young, I never had anybody in my life who was meaningful say to me, you're not gonna make it. Say to me, you're not one of us, and I know every one of you have. Every one of you has had somebody in your life, sadly, who's meaningful to you, put expectations on you of failure and not success. And that's hard. It's hard for me now if somebody said it, but I can't imagine when I was growing up. And so when I think about you and how you've been able to overcome that, and you've been able to look those people in the eye and sit on this stage today as the people that they said weren't gonna make it, you are the people in high school that they said, these kids aren't gonna make it and somehow they accepted that that was okay. And you said, no, it's not okay. I am gonna make it. And I'm here. And for that, we are so appreciative. All that you are gonna accomplish in the world for yourselves and others, I can't wait. So thank you for giving me that inspiration. And to you, I also wanna say thank you because we know that our struggles and our accomplishments in life are both about pulling ourselves up, but it's also about the village. It really truly has to have both. They had to make a decision that they wanted to make better choices, but we had to make a decision to help them in those choices and to help them understand that those choices could be better and support those decisions because it does take a village for us to raise our young people. And they wouldn't be here today without you. They just wouldn't. And the fact that this room is filled with people who love them dearly is so inspiring. I will tell you sometimes we have graduations and there aren't that many people here. Sometimes we have events where we don't see folks coming to give support, but today you're here and we appreciate that because they wouldn't be here without you. So thanks for all you do. Thanks for pulling yourselves up. I can't wait to see all that you accomplish and thanks most importantly for just inspiring me every day to get up and go to work to see what I can do to give you what you need to accomplish greatness. Congratulations. Thank you so much. All the speakers, Gloria and Jeremiah, that was incredible dropouts really. That was incredible. You guys are terrific. I would like the next thing on our agenda is to do the awards. And I am going to have the teachers come up and make you stand up here longer than you'd like to. This is an incredible staff who comes to work every day not knowing who they're going to see, who they'll work with, if one of them is missing for two weeks, if someone's there every day, they're just never really sure. And each day they come in with hope and encouragement for these students and it does take a village. And I can't imagine working with a better group of people who face incredible challenges every day to surround these students and make sure that they get all the pieces that they need and the timing's right and this one's having a rough day or this one's having a great day. It truly takes all of us. So this is a great staff. They don't get paid enough. No. I don't know where that came from. It just came right out of my mouth. No, anyway, great group of folks who do what they do because they love doing it. And seeing the growth that you guys make and watching you emerge out of your angry cocoons is enough for us each day. So the first award is for Classroom. So I would like to invite Lindsay Barton and Rodney Richard to come to the stage, please. Clapping, would be good. Very well. Now, these awards were given as a group. We decided, I can't find my paper, we decided as a group on whom to bestow each one of these awards and many of these students are capable of earning more than one. So it was a difficult decision to decide who would receive the award. So, I have no idea where my paper went. All right, the first ones, there are three awards for Classroom and I will call them up and if you two would like to come over here and do you have anything you wanna say about them or you just wanna look good? Congratulations to you all, Rodney. All right, the first one, Classroom Award for actually perseverance in the Classroom and just never giving up and continuing to come every day, no matter what and looking at me with those eyes like really, really, Jordan, come on up Jordan Wyman. The next Classroom Excellence Award is for a student who has been working diligently for the past few months. She also has a job, so she's not there six hours a day but she is bound and determined that she is going to complete this academic portion of the program. So, Caitlin Howard, come on up. And the next recipient of this award will probably be quite surprised as we were actually when we looked back and thought, wow, this person has just been extremely diligent and is also someone who is just going to pass that test and comes in repeatedly and just kind of surprises you with how intelligent he really is and he's just faking it. Abdi, come on up. You can stay up here if you would like. All right, the next person that I would like to invite to the stage is our lead vocational teacher, Dave Conner. All right, Mr. Conner. Dave is responsible to ensure that these students have received their vocational piece in construction and he works with them in the classroom in the job site downstairs and also out in the field. They've renovated apartments, they've built sheds, done all kinds of great stuff. So he has really helped them to be ready to go to work. The first recipient of this award is not here today but he worked very diligently down in the shop. As Dave says, we'll cut the straightest lines on the longest board that he... That was amazing. Yeah, so job site award for Joseph Gonzalez who is not here with us. And another student who we are expecting to go into the construction field is another student who is very attention to detail oriented, works really hard, listens carefully to what he is told to do and takes great pride in his work, Roberto Arbesa. All right, thank you. I now would like to invite our jobs for main graduates teacher, Carlo Buffano to the stage. Thank you. And Carlo is tasked with ensuring that the students have all those soft job skills. What are we calling them now? Deeper learning. Deeper learning. So that they know how to interview, they have their resumes completed, they go visit businesses, they go out on job shadows. He took them, a large group who was in CDC, Career Development Conference. They went to Augusta and competed with other high schools from all over the state and did an outstanding job. So Carlo really helps them make that transition from classroom out into the world, into their careers and post-secondary. So we have a JMG award for someone who really excelled in the classroom in this area and was very interested in the career fields and what he needed to do to ensure that he had all those pieces in place. Anthony Creasy. And another one of our budding leaders who will take over something someday, we're not sure what, but she was in the book club, she was very instrumental in the joy program where we select another nonprofit to receive some funding, great with community service, always out there wanting to help others and give back to her community. So the second JMG Excellence Award is for Gloria Orwell. Now we require that students do a minimum of 30 hours of community service, but we have one young man who, we stopped counting it just, we were in the triple digits I believe because he, every place we went, every opportunity that he had to give back to the community and work in gardens and at the farm and at Ronald McDonald House and 75 State Street and at Wayside there were pictures of him cooking up here, large vats of cookies or something. Community service award to Brian Tisdale. And I would now like to invite our social worker clinician counselor, Charlie Cook to come to the stage please. Charlie works with the students in many areas helping them to work through emotional barriers that they may face and psychological issues that I created for them, but you know, it's all right. Suck it up. And he works with them in leadership class every week. They have a class where, you know, leadership is an important component of the Youth Building Alternatives Program. We try to help them to learn about individual leadership where they have to make good choices every day, leading with their community at school, leading in their community outside of school. So we have two leadership awards, excellence in leadership. The first one is to Donkel Bolton. And last but not least, Jeremiah Baker. Then we had the honor every year of choosing, and this one's kind of interesting, student of the year. I'll explain more about these kids where they started and it's a little bit more than a year, but we have a student that excelled really in all areas, academics, job site, community service, leadership, personal growth, JMG. He just was someone that was at the top of the list in all of those areas. So the student of the year for Youth Building Alternatives is Brian. I'm gonna make you guys stand up here a little bit longer. I really do wanna take just a few minutes to speak to all of you. This is a group of students who started at very different places in different times. We've had some of them have been here 15 months, some of them have only been here six months. So it really speaks to the fact that this program is about individual needs which really supersede them as a group. But they've worked together as a group, they've come together as a group. Many of you started and stopped and started numerous times, which is part of what happened with your journey. You've traveled very different paths to get here and you are truly distinct individuals who have faced serious challenges and roadblocks and your journey to success and to reach this point. But when and where you began are not nearly as important as where you are and who you are today. So I would like to do what I started in June and I would like to finish this, my little talk with appreciations for each one of you. We end our day with an appreciation from the staff to the students and I would like to take that final time to appreciate all of you. So if you will indulge me just for a few minutes. Caitlin, that this is where it's gonna get really rough. Okay, I appreciate your tenacity. You've gone from someone with a quick temper who had frequent, angry, loud outbursts. It's not okay. Yes. To become a quiet, focused young woman who arrived early each day to work on whatever you needed to do and to watch me drive around the block for 20 minutes. Thank you. You're welcome. Gloria, we appreciate your personal strength. You began as a frightened and insecure and then, sorry, you began as frightened and insecure in your abilities and you've realized that you do possess great inner strength and are a very capable young lady. Thank you. Brian, I appreciate your courageousness. For good reason you too were a fairly angry young man who used your fists to express your frustration and to fight for your life and your right to be respected. You have now learned to effectively use your words in a calm manner to convince others to listen and to hear you. Jeremiah, I appreciate your bravery. That tough exterior has masked those inner doubts which plague your thoughts and are manifested in constant, adamant arguments. Which by the way, I win. But you have recently replaced those with thoughtful conversation and comments as you have realized that we do recognize how intelligent and worthy and valued you are. Thank you. Anthony, I appreciate your resiliency. Although you never knew where you might be from one day to the next, you've always known where you wanted to go and you've made those tough choices that have helped you survive on a daily basis and take those next steps. You got me in motion. Yeah. You got me in motion. Woo! And he's in a gown. Just like, okay, in a dress. Jordan, I appreciate your humility. You've always been the quiet one who at times was hard to read and you weren't always willing to share your thoughts but slowly your smiles and your confidence have emerged a bit each day as you have accomplished some small victories. Donkel, I appreciate your generosity and compassion. You were always solid and constant and we counted on you to be easy going and have a positive attitude and you were always willing to try new things and to help others such as taking in many of the students into your home to give them a place to stay. Roberto, I appreciate your perseverance. Sorry about this. You disappeared many times but I always knew that you'd eventually come in and brighten my day. And although you faced many setbacks, you've always remained upbeat and helpful to us and hopeful. And update, I appreciate your individuality. When we first met you, you rarely said a word and rarely smiled and I wasn't sure that you could speak in sentences but you soon became the comedian with whom I could joke and give you a very hard time like I just did. You weren't too concerned about what others were doing and seemed to know who you are and what you want in life. You have strong wills and a stubbornness that have interfered with your dreams but all of you have these qualities that have allowed you to persevere and move forward despite the challenges. So congratulations and we will now give you your certificates. I also want to introduce Tiara LaPierre who is hiding back here behind the scenes doing our audio visual. She's our AmeriCorps Vista Pathways Specialist and then Tom Kane, our Director of Student Development will come up here and help us to hand out the certificates and this wonderful staff have written blurbs about each student so you can learn a little bit more about each one. So you guys may want to move over. Well, it's my pleasure each graduation to read these blurbs that the teachers have written about the students. Sony has turned me into a cryer too so be careful. Our first student is Caitlin Howe, would you want it? Yes, please. Yes, in the life of you. Caitlin was incredibly determined and hardworking when unsure of how best to approach a new challenge Caitlin asked for the help she needed and was quick to accept support. Even while working outside of YBA Caitlin consistently came into work with the teachers and to receive the help she needed to complete her high set. She is resilient and has been a joy to work with. Good luck in everything that you do Caitlin. You'll do wonderfully. And our next student is Gloria Oral. So, as you probably already gathered Gloria is witty, insightful and determined. She was quick to offer her perspective and was always open to hearing what others had to say. Of familiar, that's true. I hadn't thought of it that way frequently rang out in class as Gloria listened with an open mind to the opinions of those around her. Gloria consistently strived to create excellent work and accept feedback with enthusiasm. She was a valued member of the YBA Policy Committee and JMJCDC participant. Her kindness and patience with others will be a wonderful asset to Gloria as she enters the childcare profession on the road to becoming a pediatrician. We wish you all the best Gloria. Congratulations. And would you welcome my next graduate, Jeremiah Baker. Oops, I took it out of... Yeah, no we didn't. She's... He'll be the next, right? Sorry, I didn't mean to skip you Brian, you'll be next. Right up here. Jeremiah is a natural born leader who was a shining star in JMG class during the Today in History sessions. Excuse me. He seemed to regularly know all the answers even when he wasn't looking at his phone. We have seen tremendous growth and maturation in Jeremiah. When he focused on a project his diligence and positive work ethic were evident. Jeremiah is a dedicated worker especially when he sees the purpose and value of what he is working on. Jeremiah is not shy, has great self-confidence and we think he should be a lawyer or a politician. Yeah, that showed that last night. He has excellent academic skills and his debate skills are well-honed. He is respected by his peers and we see him skillfully managing people and projects someday in his bright future. This young man has much going for him and we expect great things from him as an adult. Knock this sock, sock, Jeremiah. Congratulations. Skipped but not forgotten. You have a welcome to Brian Tisdale. So do I at least look cute? Yes, you do. Brian is determined and possesses a wonderful sense of humor. He was an asset at job site and in the classroom where his hard work and friendly demeanor shown through each day. Brian faced many challenges in his life yet continued to attend YBA every day. There we go. His personal and academic growth have been incredible and a joy to witness. He has willingly and actively participated in all program components and was a star in JMG and the community service areas. After gaining all his own certifications and high set, Brian chose to continue attending the program in order to help other students. He served as a great resource for both new and continuing students as he consistently motivated and encouraged his peers. We'll miss your enthusiasm, Brian. Good luck in your future endeavors. Oh, Roberto. And would you welcome my next graduate, Roberto Abaza. See how after you get into this a while, they'll worry, what are the teams you're going to say about me, right? Roberto's hardy laugh and positive attitude were always a welcome addition to any room he entered. And any time we needed help with anything, he was ready to lend a hand. He was a sensitive guy with a good sense of humor and could make even the dreariest day a little brighter. Roberto excelled on job site. He liked to be active and work with his hands and he played an important role in all of the projects we took on last year. He breezed through his pact and OSHA certifications and completed all of his community service hours. He made numerous trips to Wolf's Next Farm to work in the fields and clean out the stalls. He chipped multiple holes through 18 inches of ice when we went ice fishing. Climbed up five different mountains and around the edge of cliffs on Prout's neck with a smile on his face and words of encouragement for others. We wish you well, Roberto. Please welcome my next graduate, Anthony Creasey. Yeah, they're working man. Anthony knows his opinions and is able to express them fluently. While at times he downplayed his skills, Anthony excelled in creative writing and was very insightful. While Anthony may have occasionally shown a lack of interest for a task at hand, he was consistently able to step back and then approach the situation with renewed energy. Anthony recently began working at Mainworks and Mago and her staff are here today where his drive and determination were put to excellent use. Well, miss your energy, Anthony. We wish you all the best. Oh, Jordan. Please welcome my next graduate, Jordan Weiner. Jordan was our silent sentinel quietly conquering all he came in contact with. He had a dry wit and an easy laugh and if you weren't actively looking for him, he would seem at times to have magically disappeared into the background. Jordan was equally adept in both the classroom and job site. He made short work of his pack and was an active and eager participant by a shed at Ribbiton. In the classroom, Jordan definitely weaved his way through all of the material the teachers presented him and easily passed all five of his tests. Additionally, he took advantage of the Drive His Ed program, fulfilled all his community service obligations, volunteered at Wolf's Neck Farm, participated in the JMG Career Development Conference, sailed on Casco Bay and did it all with a smile and great attitude. Congratulations, Jordan. Please welcome our next graduate, Don Cal Bolton. Don Cal was our gentle giant with a twinkle in his eye and a skip in his step. Can you show that? Just easy. He could light up a room with his ready smile and easy laugh. Academically strong, he excelled in the classroom and quickly made his way through all of the material the teachers put before him. His pleasant demeanor made him easy to work with and he always kept his emotions in check no matter how hard things got. On job site, he was equally gifted and made short work of the tasks, duties and expectations that are all part of earning a cop and tree certification. He rounded out his time here with strong efforts in all of our volunteer and community service benches which included everything from preparing meals at Wayside to shoveling animal waste at Wolf's Neck Farm. While performing job shadows at the Brackett Street Veterinary Clinic, he willingly witnessed animal surgery including new-dearing of a cat. We'll miss you, Don Cal. Willingly. We'll all miss you, Don Cal, but I assure you'll be back to visit whenever you can. Well done, man. Abdi. Last but not least, you can already hear that she is rising. Abdi Abdullahi. Abdi was a scholar and a gentleman and a fixture at this school for longer than almost any other student to date. Luckily, we enjoyed his presence so much that when he finally did leave, there were real tears on most people's pillows. He was a wizard math and a lover of almost anything that let him stay in his seat. The classroom was his home and once he understood a concept, he quickly excelled at it. Abdi didn't always love job site, but he tried his hardest and never quit. He completed his pact and was a pivotal member in almost every project we pursued. He made numerous trips to the farm, helped build both of our salt sheds, picked up trash in the neighborhood, went sailing on Casco Bay, and shot rockets off in the righty field. Many things made Abdi's time at our school special, but the most memorable would probably be the big smile on his face as he had hollered, saying, hey, Sonny, on one Wednesday, and my favorite, wrap up at the beginning of our day. Congratulations, Carla. A few final words that I wanted you to know. I totally appreciate the honor of being part of your journey. To listen and offer guidance, suggestion and support, to witness your joy as you achieve milestones that you never thought were possible, you have become tremendously courageous and strong, and that inspires all of us every day. That's why we do this. Congratulations. Now, I will have you guys stand, please. Okay? And don't forget, at the end, know who, I don't think so, because now you have your roses and everything. All right, tassel turning. The turning of the tassels, hold on. Symbolizes transition, the movement from one phase of a person's life to another. You just wait. Listen. Listen. See what I have to deal with? With all the hard work and tremendous accomplishments that these students have attained, I believe they will transition into the next phase of their lives with all the skills necessary for this. I have great respect for each one of their determination, passion and hard work. At this time, I would like to invite you to turn your tassel from right to left. Yeah, whatever. Right, this right to left. You see why it took so long? Kidding? Kind of. All right, I do present to you the Youth Building Alternatives graduating class of December 2014. Congratulations.