Cambridge Community Learning Center to Host Virtual 2021 Graduation Ceremony
6/7/2021 • 2 years ago
The information on this page may be outdated as it was published 2 years ago.
The Cambridge Community Learning Center (CLC) will host a virtual graduation ceremony on Thursday, June 17, 2021 at 6:30 p.m. to celebrate 82 adult learners who have completed CLC’s programs in the past year. The public is invited to watch a livestream of the event on the Community Learning Center’s YouTube channel.
The Community Learning Center, a division of the City of Cambridge Department of Human Service Programs, offers a variety of programs and resources to empower adult learners to transform their lives and realize their potential through education, job training, and community participation. CLC also offers free education and career advising, tutoring, and basic computer instruction, as well as Certified Nursing Assistant training and Information Technology training programs.
“The Community Learning Center’s graduation ceremony is an amazing event each year as we join together to celebrate the accomplishments of our hardworking and resilient adult learners, and this year is especially important as we mark the 50th anniversary of CLC,” said Maria Kefallinou, Director of the Cambridge Community Learning Center. “It is also a time to recognize the awe-inspiring dedication of our staff and volunteers who go beyond the classroom to support adult learners in achieving their personal and professional goals.”
The 2021 graduation ceremony will recognize the accomplishments of:
• 42 graduates from CLC’s English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) courses, offered in six levels, from Basic Literacy to Advanced English.
• 20 graduates from CLC’s Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) program, a job training program where participants receive certifications including Home Health Aide, Nursing Assistant, CPR / AED, and Alzheimer’s / Dementia Care to enter the labor force as a CNA.
• 12 graduates from the Bridge to College program, which prepares adults to succeed in college-level courses by improving their writing, math, and academic reading skills. Participants also receive support in applying for college, financial aid, and scholarships, and earn credits toward one Bunker Hill Community College course.
• 9 adult learners who became US citizens in the past year with the support of CLC’s New Citizens class, which prepares students to take the US Citizenship Test.
• 3 graduates from the Adult Basic Education (HiSET / GED Preparation) program, which offers four levels of math and reading to prepare students for high school equivalency tests.
Additionally, the Friends of CLC, a nonprofit organization that supports CLC through fundraising and public awareness campaigns, will award college scholarships to 18 current and former adult learners. The graduation ceremony will also honor two of CLC’s 100 active volunteers.
“I am so proud of the Cambridge Community Learning Center’s graduating class and thankful to CLC for their work. It takes humility, discipline, and courage to return to a classroom—at any age—and to be open to a desire for growth, for new skills, and for new challenges,” said Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui. "These adult learners, including 9 new U.S. citizens, prove they are role models to their families, students across the state, and to the Cambridge community.”
“The Community Learning Center graduation is one of my favorite events each spring,” said Cambridge City Manager Louis A. DePasquale. “CLC programs help adult learners from all backgrounds – some who emigrated to Cambridge from other countries and others who were born and raised in Cambridge – further their education, receive job training, and become active members in our community. I want to thank CLC staff and volunteers for their commitment to supporting and empowering CLC students.”
For more information about the Cambridge Community Learning Center, visit www.cambridgema.gov/CLC