Regional district graduates 18 from adult high school

FREEHOLD — With determination and a lot of effort, 18 students have met the requirements for graduation from the Freehold Regional Adult High School and received their diplomas at a ceremony held at Freehold Borough High School.

"I think it’s a wonderful program," said Dennis Flynn, program director. "I’ve been with it since 1980. This is my 32nd year in the district, and I think the district serves the kids very well."

Flynn said the students range in age from 16 to 30 and noted there are a few adults every year who are beyond that age. Everybody is on their own in terms of coming to classes, according to Flynn.

"They want to finish high school," he said. "The term is from September to June and students attend four nights each week from Monday through Thursday. Each session is an hour and 45 minutes."

Several students from the class have been accepted to college, he said.

The adult high school class of 2000 — William Benjamin Beverly, William Joseph Clossey, Kimberly Suzanne Cohen, Craig Garrett Ferrer, Philip Paul Frasco, Christopher Michael Gatti, Michael Joseph Glogoza, Denis Guro, Seung Yon Lee, Richard George Lennox, Tracy Lynn Mackie, Anne Marie Malandrucca, Herman Tandy Mitchel IV, Nicholas Elliot Organek, Lynda Ramos, George Stephen Rasch, Lizeth Salinas and Carl Daniel Young — received their diplomas from Superintendent of Schools James Wasser and members of the regional Board of Education.

In his remarks to the graduating class, Flynn told the class of 2000 that he hopes that the members of this class will, someday, make a difference in their own lives and the lives of others.

"You have already taken a significant step toward this goal on this night by completing your high school diploma," he said. "By making this choice you have also contributed in a positive way to the lives of the community around you."

Added Wasser: "I want to thank each and every one of the students for their efforts and their hard work. On behalf of the board and the administration the best of wishes and please be the best that you can be."

"It’s very rewarding. Many of these kids are working during the day. Some of them have children that they care for, so there’s a lot to juggle," said Miriam Cohen, who teaches English at the adult high school and also teaches English as a Second Language at Red Bank Regional High School. "I’m very proud when they’ve gone the whole way and they succeed. It really gives them great satisfaction that they’ve accomplished this. They have aspirations and they have dreams beyond this to go on to college or to a technical school or do something more with their lives. It’s a good feeling."

Mitchel, one of the graduates, said, "It feels real good to graduate. It took hard work to get to this point, especially having to go this route. It’s an awesome feeling."