Hats off to the grads

NEL/CPS celebrates 31 seniors at June 10 ceremony

Posted 6/14/22

Cranston High School West was filled with families and friends Friday night to celebrate the 31 New England Laborers'/Cranston Public Schools Construction and Career Academy’s (NEL/CPS) …

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Hats off to the grads

NEL/CPS celebrates 31 seniors at June 10 ceremony

Posted

By EMMA BARTLETT

Cranston High School West was filled with families and friends Friday night to celebrate the 31 New England Laborers'/Cranston Public Schools Construction and Career Academy’s (NEL/CPS) graduates. After the Color Guard ceremony kicked off the event and Isabella Ba sang the National Anthem, NEL/CPS Executive Director Ramon Torres addressed the senior class, recognizing that they worked tirelessly to reach this academic milestone.

“Class of 2022 -- you have exhibited your true strength by sticking together and pulling for each other under the most difficult conditions,” said Torres.

He referenced the various work students were a part of. From distance, hybrid or in person learning, Torres said students stood side by side to help their community when they needed it most.

“From building a memorial at Western Hills Middle School, volunteering at the RI Food Bank, distributing personal protective equipment and volunteering at various vaccination clinics, you have shown dedication and compassion to those in need. Please know that your efforts have not gone unnoticed.  I urge you to continue to give back to your communities,” Torres said.

Torres said that 48 percent of those in the construction pathway are going on to the New England Laborers’ Training Academy in Pomfret, Connecticut, to begin the school’s apprenticeship program. He said in a few weeks, these students will earn a lucrative salary, full health benefits and a retirement package. Additionally, 35 percent of the graduating class will attend a two year, four year college or university or a technical school, and the rest of the school’s students will start their careers in the military or the workforce.

Superintendent Jeannine Nota-Masse and School Committee Chairperson Daniel Wall addressed the class. Nota-Masse reminded students of how far they'd come in their years since Kindergarten and reminded them that they were now ready to take on any challenges they might face on the next part of their journey after high school. Wall spoke to students about working hard at whatever they choose to do after graduation.

Valedictorian Xavier Pichardo addressed his peers. He graduated with a 4.144 GPA and will attend New England Institute of Technology in the fall. He also earned the RI Department of Education’s Commissioner’s Seal Council Designation which “certifies that a student is proficient in standards aligned to high school expectations in English Language Arts and Mathematics” and earned the RI Department of Education’s Guided Pathway Endorsement Council Designation in Business & Industry which “certifies that a student has accomplished deep learning in a chosen area of interest and is prepared for employment or further education in a career path.”

Pichardo spoke about growing up as the youngest in the family and witnessing hardships of his older siblings as well as the tribulations his mom had to overcome. He said it bugged him that he saw these things but did not have the power to bring about change.

“I’m so excited today because I’ve felt for a while that I now have a voice that needs to be heard; that I’ve done certain things in my life that have elicited tangible growth, and I’ve had my own experiences to overcome, and I’m able to recognize things I was never able to see before,” said Pichardo. 

He recognized family, peers and mentors who helped get him to where he is today and said while he wanted to finish high school with straight A’s, the grade didn’t matter as much as what he could gain from it.

Lastly, he asked students to think about what drives them and urged them to set goals to reach for.

“There’s an African Proverb that I love, that reads: ‘If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together.’ My mom told me a few weeks ago, ‘You are impactful, and you will go far.’ I responded, ‘I can only be as great as the people around me; we will go far’,” Pichardo said.

Torres again congratulated students on their success.

“As you enter the next stage of your lives, please don’t forget what it took for you to get here,” Torres said. “Please make a commitment to always give your very best, follow your heart and you will be successful in whatever endeavors you pursue.”

NEL/CPS, graduates

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