There’s a different kind of graduation ceremony happening this weekend. Sure, there will be caps and gowns. There will be handshakes and diplomas. There will be a keynote speaker, just like your public high school graduation. There will be feelings of accomplishment, of pride, of moving on, and of turning the page to a new chapter in life.
The feeling of accomplishment will be just as great, perhaps even greater than at a high school graduation. This is not your neighborhood school graduation where everyone is about the same age. There might be teenagers graduating. However, some of the graduates will be middle aged or older.
Each graduate has a unique story. And each story is about to turn to a new chapter.
Some graduates will have completed or almost completed their GED. GED stands for General Educational Development. It’s equivalent to a high school diploma.
Some will celebrate new certifications in fields like IT, Project Management, administrative assistant, and more.
Nine Star Education & Employment Services is sponsoring the event. Community Outreach Coordinator Jessica Egbert says that the public education system works for most people, but not everyone. Some aren’t ready to graduate on an arbitrary schedule. Nine Star helps people develop their skills when they’re ready.
Their mission statement reads “Through education and employment services help Alaskans Get a Job! Keep a Job! & Advance on the Job!”
Nine Star offers classes that prepare students for the GED exam. They also prepare students for the work-readiness test called WorkKeys. That test is for people who want to enter skilled trades.
Nine Star also offers guidance for mid-career people who are ready for a change. Some seek a less physical job. As we get older, Egbert says, physical labor can become difficult. Nine Star helps clients develop skills for jobs that require less physical labor.
Egbert shared one moving story. A student dropped out of high school under trying circumstances. He was homeless, living out of his car, and couldn’t finish school on time. Later he earned his GED with Nine Star’s help, got a job earning $30/hour, and moved into an apartment.
But not everyone who comes to Nine Star is looking at a job. Egbert has seen retired people come to Nine Star. They had no interest in re-entering the job market. They just wanted to prove they could earn a high school diploma.
The graduation ceremony will be at the Mat-Su Health Foundation on Saturday at 2 p.m. If you want to celebrate with the graduates, please RSVP at debl@ninestar.org.
If you would like to find out more about the services at Nine Star or if you want to volunteer for the nonprofit, you can find them at ninestar.org.
In other news:
The Matanuska Community Farmers Market is today from 4 to 6 p.m.
The Musk Ox Farm Summer Concert Series kicks off tonight with Dirty Cello at 7 p.m. Tickets and info at muskoxfarm.org.
The Links Resource Fair is tomorrow at Iditapark in Wasilla from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Discover exciting activities. Connect with your community and access valuable resources. Find more information at linksprc.org.
Evergreen Avenue near the Depot in Palmer will be closing today for upgrades.
Page 2 airs weekdays at 7 a.m., 9 a.m., 11:50 a.m., and 6 p.m.
Tune in at 89.7 in Palmer, 89.5 in Sutton, 88.3 in Chickaloon and Glacier View or online at bigcabbageradio.org.
Please support Page 2 News and Big Cabbage Radio. Become a member: Donate today at bigcabbageradio.org.
This Page Two article was reported by David Cheezem and produced by yours truly, Lee Henrikson. If you have an idea for a Page 2 topic, please email us at page2@radiofreepalmer.org.