Oxnard adults celebrate academic accomplishments too

Jasmine O. Ruelas kisses her son Dean with tears of joy following the Oxnard Adult School commencement ceremony held Tuesday at the Performing Arts Center in Oxnard. Ruelas was earned her GED and aspires to have a career in criminal justice. © Karen Quincy Loberg/VC Star

With a 2012 graduating class characterized by its students’ determination and hard work, Oxnard Adult School celebrated its 75th anniversary Tuesday.The school held a graduation ceremony for its class of 49 high school diploma recipients and 179 certificate of general education development recipients. Although this was a typical class size for an the school’s graduation, none were high school students, according to Principal Judy Perkins.

“It’s always exciting,” Perkins said. “Our students have come from such a variety of backgrounds. They all have so many different obstacles, every single one is so unique. It’s an accomplishment for all of them because it took so much to get there.”

The school provides an opportunity for adults to achieve their high school diploma, GED or other continuing-education credentials. Students range in age from 18 to more than 80, according to Perkins. More than 1,300 students attend the school for a year. Since the school started in 1937, it has helped more than 18,000 students reach graduation.

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Article reprinted with permission of the VC Star