Six outstanding students graduated from the Eden School on June 22, marking the end of their high school journey and the start of a new chapter.
Eden families and staff came together to celebrate graduates Thomas, Artur aka “Tuca”, Louis, Obinna, Chase, and Matthew. While every student came to Eden at a different time, all of them are graduating together with new life skills and experiences that will guide them through the next phase of their journey.
“We all realize that we would not be here without the efforts of everyone in this room, you the families working alongside the staff to support the hard work and efforts our students put forth every day,” Dr. Cindy Bott-Tomarchio, Director of Educational Services, said during the ceremony. “And now we are here at graduation and we all can share the pride in recognizing these wonderful individuals for all their accomplishments.”
Thomas has been at the Eden School since 2006 and has learned so much during his time both in and out of the classroom. Not only has he made great strides with his programs, but he also spends part of his days working out in the community. He now prepares to enter Eden’s Adult Services with an impressive resume demonstrating his skills and abilities.
Tuca has made tremendous gains during his time at the Eden School. He’s able to work independently and he especially enjoys completing all of the tasks on his daily schedule. His teachers said they are going to miss his big, happy personality, but plan to always keep in touch with him as he moves into Eden’s Adult Services.
Louis and his big smile will be missed in the halls of the Eden School. His favorite place to be is the kitchen, earning him special certificates in washing dishes and rolling silverware. He’s moving into Eden’s Adult Services with a full resume showing off the work he’s been doing out in the community.
Obinna only recently began attending the Eden School, but he’s learned an enormous amount during his time here. Once staff got him working on an iPad to communicate, he learned how to independently express his wants and needs, earning him speech awards for making requests and socializing with staff members.
Chase is a quick learner and can independently complete a variety of tasks. Whether he’s working in the classroom or out in the community, he is able to catch on quickly to master the task at hand. Chase received awards for his terrific skills in both reading comprehension and cleaning, which he will be sure to continue to enjoy as he moves into Eden’s Adult Services.
Matthew has impressed his teachers with how much he’s learned during his time in the classroom. He’s made incredible progress in all of his programs, earning him awards for his outstanding skills in the inventory program as well as speech awards for responding to questions and recalling details in stories.
While teachers and staff will miss seeing all of our graduates throughout the school, they are so proud of everything they’ve accomplished and learned over the years.
“As the saying goes, the days are long and the years are short,” said Dr. Rachel Tait, Chief Program Officer. “I think as parents and educators we never feel that quite as fully until the graduation ceremony, where we watch our once little guys move across the stage to accept their diplomas.”
Congratulations to the Class of 2022!
