BY DAVE BENJAMIN
Staff Writer
Dressed in blue caps and gowns, 25 young adults from the Freehold Regional Adult High School recently received their high school diplomas. The June 6 graduation, held at Colts Neck High School, will be a stepping stone for those who want to further their education in college or immediately pursue work in the business world.
“I would like to personally congratulate each and every student here tonight for your hard work and commitment to getting a high school diploma,” said James Wasser, superintendent of schools in the Freehold Regional High School District, which sponsors the adult high school. “Through your education and determination you’ve made it here this evening.”
Wasser told the graduates that just as they had taken a different route to get to this point, they will come to many crossroads in life.
“Learn to recognize where you are going and how you’re going to get there,” he said. “And whether it’s the main highway or a side road, it really doesn’t matter as long as you get where you want to go.”
Wasser urged the students to fulfill their dreams and become all that they can be.
“The Freehold Regional Adult High School graduation is a testament to the students who have had a difficult time in traditional school programs,” said Samuel Grove, program coordinator. “A number of former graduates have come back to tell me what they are doing since they graduated. One is finishing his broker’s license on Wall Street. One is majoring in criminal justice, a third is studying to be an accountant and business manager, while another is majoring in psychology.”
Grove said a diploma in hand is a pass to success. At a time when there is uncertainty, the greatest investment a person can make in the future is their education, he said.
“For our students here tonight, I encourage you to continue your education,” said Grove.
Introducing the class representative for 2005, Grove said Sean Poyner is a young man he had met earlier in the year.
“He didn’t seem to like school very much,” said Grove. “He wasn’t real happy about it. He came to the night school reluctantly at first, and then suddenly he became one of our most important people in terms of being our class representative.”
Grove said Poyner became active on the student council.
“He became very involved in making a success of himself this year,” the program director said. “Sean is one of the people who stood out and wanted to be the class representative.”
“When I left high school I felt like everything was spinning out of control,” said Poyner, addressing his classmates, guests and members of the board. “I didn’t realize how lucky I was to be given a second chance. Night school offered me a second chance to receive a high school diploma and help me get my life back on track.
Poyner said he began his high school career at St. John Vianney, Holmdel. He was in honors math, a year ahead of most students in science and was a member of the Lancers’ football team. But by midyear he began having problems and trouble at home.
“I began using drugs and getting into fights at school,” he said. “By May, I was asked to leave.”
He enrolled in a Freehold Regional school, but his trouble continued. Poyner said he was then asked to go to the district’s night school.
“I had to wait until the winter break was over and I had a long time to think of what went wrong,” he said. “I decided to get my life back on track. Because night school was a comfortable setting, I was able to do that. I was able to concentrate on getting a job, losing weight and I started researching colleges.”
After acclimating himself to his setting, Poyner decided he wanted to get involved with the student council.
“I really didn’t know what to expect at first, but Mr. Grove and everyone else there welcomed me,” he said.
Poyner said he was involved in raising $161 for an end-of-year class barbecue.
Now that he is leaving school, Poyner said his life is back on track and he realizes how lucky he is to have had a second chance.
“I think all the other students do [also],” said the class representative. “[But,] whether or not they think they are lucky to get this chance, we’ve earned today and we’ve earned these diplomas. We’ve all earned the right to call ourselves graduates. No matter what happens from now on, we will have these diplomas and this day.”
Diplomas were distributed to the adult high school graduates. In addition to Sean Poyner, members of the Class of 2005 were Christopher Michael Aparicio, Jessica Benesh, Christopher Michael Bleiweis, Shannon Lee Ekdahl, Kelly Erica Geffen, Kevin L. Goines, Danielle Marie Greco, Brian N. Joseph, Christain Ryan Jurgensen, Anthony Michael Martino, Andrew Frank Miranda, Robert Mirville, Heather Marie Orchard, Edward Warren Outcalt, Paul Michael Pappone, Robert J. Pederson, Lisa Kathleen Peraggine, Rohemy M. Persia, Alycia Tamara Rivera, Shannon Marie Ronaldson, Alexander M. Rosario, Harrison N. Widelitz and Stephen Michael Zipp.