Hello graduates, family, friends, and staff of the Carlos Rosario International Public Charter School!
My name is Korina and I am from Puebla, Mexico. I am humbled and filled with excitement to be standing before you today.
I have been a part of the Carlos Rosario community since 2018. I started in ESL 1 with one goal, to learn English. Today, I stand in front of an audience from all around the world, communicating in English.
The first time I crossed over the main doors of the school, I felt the power of the opportunities that Carlos Rosario has for each of us. They became part of my life. I won’t lie, the road was not easy, but I was not ready to give up. In early 2021, I achieved my goal of learning English when I graduated from ESL 8.
I did not stop there. The power of opportunities kept flowing through me and in March 2021, I graduated from high school when I finished the GED in Spanish Program.
Did I stop there? No, getting my High School Diploma was a key step to enroll in the Bilingual Teaching Assistant Career Training Program.
And guess what? In 2022, I received my bilingual teaching assistant BTA certificate.
Can you also guess where I did my practicum for BTA? The GED in Spanish Program! I was able to give back to the school and support my peers. That was an amazing moment for me!
Graduating students, congratulations!
Because it is our time to succeed and continue moving forward.
Because it is our time to enjoy the taste of achieved goals.
Because now is when our dreams came true.
I would like to say thank you to all the Carlos Rosario teachers, leadership, staff, donors, and partners.
Staff, donors and partners, you are such a great team, always ready to help us.
Teachers and leadership, you are the best part of our school.
Students, thank you, because you keep coming back.
And, to the students’ families, thank you for sticking with us and being along for the learning with all of us.
I would like to take advantage of this opportunity to give special thanks to the two people who motivated me to not stop, my daughter Rachel and my son Joel. Thank you so much for always being willing to help, for supporting me and for never complaining about my crazy schedule.
I leave you all with these words:
Prepare yourself, grow, develop and practice your skills.
Work for your opportunity, so when it comes, you can do something about it!
Thank you, and now our Chief Academic Officer, Dr. HollyAnn Freso Moore, will come to confer diplomas.