Thirty-two Resilience Academy (RA) students are now officially graduates following the annual Graduation Day Ceremony & Celebration on June 24.
Prior to the students receiving their diplomas and moving the tassels on their caps from right to left, they heard many words of inspiration, including from fellow graduate Alexandra Varble, who described RA as a second home. While time has flown, Varble noted that her and her classmates still have 85% of their lives left to take the world by storm and explore opportunities that await them. “You have all the time in the world and then some, so take a minute to stop and to reflect, slow down and stop to smell the flowers,” Varble said. “You may feel that you haven’t accomplished much so far, but that’s only because you haven’t lived enough of your life yet to be able to see what you are fully capable of.”
Guest speaker Heather Ann Pitcher, CEO and Founder of the Brain and Body Coalition, noted that the school’s name made her think about how the word resilience has been part of her journey, as it helped her overcome obstacles to start her organization.
“Resilience is not a destination; it’s a journey, each person defines it differently,” Pitcher said. “Resilience is often born from challenge … it develops when things do not go according to plan.”
Pitcher then referenced the old saying “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade,” noting how life has handed students plenty of “lemons,” including loss, grief, rejection and making mistakes. While they do not have a choice about what happens to them, they have options on how to respond to those situations, which can lead to better outcomes. “I don’t like lemonade, but I do like lemon cookies … When life gives us lemons, why not do something different? Make lemon cookies, lemon pie, make something sweet with your sour situation,” Pitcher said. “Turn your lemon into growth, learn from it.”
District Superintendent Dr. Jodi DeLucia said that when she “looks across this room, I don’t just see graduates. I see stories. Each of you has your own story. Your own journey. Your own experiences that brought you to this moment.”
Kellianne Erdman is happy to have completed her GED with the help of Teacher Erin Weidner who pushed her to not give up. This kind of support is what Erdman will miss the most, but looks forward to starting her freshman year at Clinton Community College.
“It’s bittersweet definitely and I’m really going to miss this place,” Erdman said. “I feel very excited for the future and what opportunities come next for me.”
Legacy Anderson-Joyner is attending Dutchess Community College to study psychology and will miss her teachers and friends the most. She shared what advice was given to her at RA that will stick with her.
“Never let yourself down, always believe in yourself and never give up,” Anderson-Joyner said. “I never thought I would actually make it to graduation, but I am here.”
