Graduates celebrate at PACE West luncheon

Two themes set the tone at PACE West’s graduation luncheon: Take pride in your achievements, and don’t give up.

“We’d like to show [our students] how proud we are of what they have accomplished,” Principal Mary Ellen Garduno said in her opening remarks.

After walking across stage to the applause of family, friends, staff, faculty, members of the Haymarket Women’s Club and members of the Gainesville-Haymarket Rotary Club, the students took seats at the head table with Prince William County Schools Superintendent Steven Walts and Mickey Mulgraw, associate superintendent for high schools.

“I know that it was not an easy journey to get here, but the fact is, you made it,” Walts told the graduates. “Congratulations on all your good work.”

PACE West is a county school program for children in grades K-12 with significant emotional and behavioral needs.

Graduates of the program also walk across the stage with students from their base schools, so the luncheon gives them, their friends and their families at least two opportunities to celebrate.

Tina Jones, mother of student Tyreese Pollard, attended the event with her husband, Joseph Jones, and Tyreese’s two sisters, Taquita and Tierra Pollard.

“Tyreese has been a great boy,” Tina Jones said. “He has accomplished so much. I’m so proud he made it this far. He never gave up.”

“I hope the world is his oyster,” added Joseph Jones.

And Tyreese, who dropped out last year but came back to finish, said: “Don’t drop out. Keep going.”

Indeed, said teaching assistant Joyce Neid: “They have all had their trials and tribulations, but they always bounced back.”

“They didn’t let the little things prevent them from meeting their goals,” added school psychologist Tyrone Mathewson.

Steve Charest, who teaches English, history and math, said the graduation was the “culmination of a lot of effort” by students but also a “complete team effort.”
Or, as Garduno said, “In many ways, it does take a whole community to raise a child.”

Anne Zewatsky, school social worker, said that especially toward the end of the year, the graduates felt a little pressure because they wanted to move into adulthood and establish independence.

“It all looks very exciting,” she said, “but once you get there, it’s kind of scary.”

However, anxiety hasn’t prevented the grads from making plans for the future.

Graduate Christopher England, for example, plans to attend Northern Virginia Community College to pursue a career as an EMT.

“It feels good,” England said about graduating. “I’m excited. I’m starting the next stage of my life.”

And, as for the next stage of his peers’ lives:

- Tyreese Pollard will join Job Corps.

- Shawn Ballinger is applying to Virginia Tech and to the University of South Carolina to major in accounting.

- Sean McGraw plans to enlist in the military.

- Kane Whittington will join Job Corps and wants to eventually work as a graphic artist.

- Timothy Castle plans to enlist in the Air Force.

In addition to being a time for celebration, the luncheon was a time for the graduates to share advice.

For instance, the words of Whittington, who failed the math Standards of Learning test several times before reaching graduation:

“Every day is a new obstacle,” the graduate said. “Be sure to come back, and it will all come through so you can succeed.”