Starry night: Kittery Adult Ed grads celebrate a 'skyful of opportunity'

KITTERY — With the stars at hand and diplomas to lead their way, the 2010 Kittery Adult Education Program graduated 16 members on Monday in the Traip Academy gymnasium.

Although the graduates of the Kittery program were not traditional students, they worked hard to become exceptional, all earning high marks to get their High School diploma or G.E.D. Graduates ranged in age from 18 to 43. Some were parents, some took their courses at night and all were receiving a certificate proving their hard work was worth the time and effort.

"For some, it was a long and windy road," Director Pauli Rines said. "For others, you went that extra mile."

Rines added some students we above and beyond the request to earn their degree, taking advanced chemistry courses and pushing themselves to finish testing on time.

"If you're looking for a sentimental, heart warming journey, it's here tonight," Rines said.

It was graduates Alicia Perry and Kristine Calo thanking their daughters and teachers that reminded each of them how blessed they were to be standing on the stage at Traip Academy in their caps and gowns.

Calo, who received the Dorothy Gherson Memorial Scholarship, earned her High School Diploma to pursue her dream of becoming an RN. With tears in her eyes, she thanked her family for their support over the last few years.

Perry also received a scholarship on Monday. After working for three and a half years to earn her diploma, raising her daughter and juggling school work, she was presented the Rotary Club of Kittery Scholarship to help her pursue a career in medicine so she may care for the elderly.

Graduate Sarah Lawrence thanked her teachers, tutors and Director Rines for their support as she worked to earn her G.E.D. while being a busy mother of three and a Kittery School bus driver.

"Thank you for always cheerleading us on, Pauli, and for always being there," Lawrence said. "And for pushing me just that little bit."

Rines said she was proud of the class of 2010 and hoped they would pursue their dreams as they pursued their diplomas.

"Some of you are like the Celtics," Rines said. "You really came through in the end."

Each graduate was presented with a key-chain of a sneaker to remind them they found their stride and made it through. They also received a star so they would remember to reach their dreams.

"There is a skyful of opportunity for you," Rines said.

Before the ceremony ended, Superintendent Larry Littlefield and members of the Kittery Adult Education Program presented Rines with a wealth of "thank you"s and a scholarship named after her. As Rines' final year with the program came to a close after 18 years, she was overwhelmed with thanks for the support she received since she began the program in 1993.

The Pauli Rines Life Enrichment Scholarship will be awarded in the future for "motivated people" who cannot afford to further their education.

The following is a list of the 2010 Kittery Adult Education Program High School Diploma Graduates: Kristine L. Calo, Darien R. Grantz, Joshua M. Gray, Alex C. Kimball, Nick O. Mercier, Alicia R. Perry, Raymond Pryll II, Ashley Rackliff, Daniel A. Saxby and Michael Stephens.

The following is a list of the 201 Kittery Adult Education Program General Educational Development Graduates: Matthew Broughton, Michael Ferguson, Brianna Gamester, Jacob Glover, Keith Graham and Sarah Lawrence.

Posted by Cindy Furbish  on June 15th 2010 | Read more in: News and Events

Wanted: Teachers

We are always looking for new ideas and new teachers. If you have a class you would like to see offered or would like to teach, please contact  the Adult Education office by emailing cfurbish@kitteryschools.org or calling 207-439-5896. Currently we are working on ideas for our Fall 2010 brochure. All submissions should be in by the end of June. The next session of courses run from September - December 2010. The brochure should be available for viewing/registrations by the end of  August.

Posted by Cindy Furbish  on April 14th 2010 | Read more in: News and Events

Kittery Director Receives Rotary Honor

Congratulations to Kittery Adult Education Director, Pauli Rines, for being honored by the Kittery Rotary Club with the prestigious Paul Harris Fellowship award.

Posted by Cindy Furbish  on June 24th 2009 | Read more in: News

Kittery Resident Receives Special Recognition

Posted by Cindy Furbish  on December 17th 2008 | Read more in: News

Welcome to our new website!

We have recently launched our new website! The new site brings with it many new and exciting features designed to make locating and registering for courses much easier.

Some of these new and exciting features include:

• Search for courses: You can now search for courses from our program as well as from other adult education programs across the state. You can also browse our courses by category if you prefer.
  
• Register online: You no longer need to come into our office or mail us your registration for some courses. When you see the "Add to Cart" button on any course, that means you can register and pay for the course online in a few easy steps. Of course, you can also call, walk-in, or mail in your registration if you prefer.
  
• Latest news and events: Read our latest news, updates, happenings and events inside our News & Events section. You can also subscribe to our News & Events using RSS.
  
• Frequently Asked Questions: Find answers to important questions about our program, schedules, registering, and the adult education system by searching or browsing our frequently asked questions section.
  

Our website is a part of the new Maine Adult Education Portal, sponsored and managed by the Maine Adult Education Association. When you visit the new MAEA website online at http://www.maineadulted.org, you can search for courses and programs statewide to find the perfect class closest to where you work or live.

These are just a few of the many exciting additions to our site, and many more are slated to appear over the next year. Please continue to check back with us, and please share your feedback by contacting us. Thank you, and we hope you enjoy your new adult education website.

Posted by Kathi Medcalf  on November 9th 2008 | Read more in: News