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By: James Tinley, Press Staff
06/01/2007
     
Beverly Therrien gets a helping hand from her sister, Kelly Rybak, before joining her fellow graduates. Brad M. Horrigan/The Middletown Press (Buy Middletown Photos)  
MIDDLETOWN - Their reasons for leaving high school were varied but the students who gathered in Middletown High School were all united by one thing: They all eventually went back to school and got their diploma.

An overflowing crowd of family and friends crammed into the auditorium to see Middletown Adult Education honor 143 graduates at its 62nd commencement ceremony Thursday night.
Students were recognized for high school completion in the Adult High School Credit Diploma, General Educational Development (GED) Diploma and External Diploma (EDP) programs. Students were also recognized for their participation in the Even Start Family Learning Program.
Mayor Sebastian N. Giuliano joined james Misenti, director of adult education, and Paul Flinter, bureau chief of the state Department of Education, in congratulating the students who had the courage to go back to school and the perseverance to finish.
"For many of them this is a lifeline," said Barbara Novak, credit diploma program head teacher. "They left school for so many reasons and hopefully this will really prove to be that lifeline. Many are going on to further schooling and others now will be able to get better jobs."
Caitlin Brennan of Middletown came to Adult Education when she was 16, after being home-schooled from the age of 4.
"The teachers really helped motivate me and get done quickly, which is what I was looking for."
"I didn't miss out on anything from high school," she said. "I went to proms and had a lot of friends at Middletown High. I wouldn't have wanted to go to a normal high school - Adult Ed was perfect for me."
Brennan is now 17 and was awarded the Lillian Gallitto Scholarship. She plans to attend Middlesex Community College and major in general studies.
She graduated from Adult Education the same time she would have if she attended Middletown High School.
Others honored at Thursday's ceremony took a longer route to get their diploma.
"I should have graduated from this building 20 years ago," said Michael Bailey. an adult ed graduate and First Church of Christ Congregational scholarship recipient.
After becoming a father at the age of 17 he dropped out of school. He soon found himself homeless and alone. He said it was pride that kept him out of the Adult Education office.
It took the encouraging from a woman who he would eventually marry to get Bailey back in school.
She told him, "you are not the person you once were," and inspired Bailey to return to school.
Bailey has already completed his first semester at Middlesex Community College and his wife and five children were there to witness his graduation.
"Never settle - you are not your past and your future is bright," Bailey said to his fellow graduates.
Flint also left the graduates with words of advice.
"The reasons why you left school don't really matter, the length of time it took you doesn't matter either," he said. "What matters is, you did it."
"You now have an obligation to give back," Flint added. "Teach your children to read, volunteer at a school, help a friend with a job application or show a co-worker an easier way to complete a task. Our community needs caring people."
To contact James Tinley, call him at (860) 347-3331, Ext. 211, or email him at jtinley@middletownpress.com.

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