Graduation a celebration for adult students with disabilities

Graduation a celebration for adult students with disabilities at Place Cartier Adult Education Centre in Beaconsfield.

For mature students with disabilities, Place Cartier Adult Education Centre in Beaconsfield offers work skills and social programs.

Like all schools, it’s grad season for the hard-working folks at the school on Montreal’s West Island.

Student Stephanie Toriani says it’s been a good year.

“Math, English, French, and we have exams as well, but I passed!” she said.

The centre is part of the Lester B. Pearson School Board, with 150 mature students with learning challenges.

It also offers work training and other vital courses for people 17 years and up living with disabilities.

They put together their own graduation day party.

Educator Amanda Dowbyhuz says it’s all part of the “Thrive” program.

“Events like this kind of show how they can plan a party,” she said. ”They bring their positive attitudes and their amazing ideas.”

With the gym full of dancers and music, student Tevin Morrison-Davis said, “It’s a party and I’m a DJ!”

Austin Amato-Reede said the work training experience he received is satisfying because he worked in the coffee shop on-site.

“I’m proud of myself for doing it,” he said. ”My school year was really great.”

Morrison-Davis and Amato-Reede added more skills by helping out with the camera work and interview questions.

Programs are all about positive, hands-on learning with tangible results.

“It’s an opportunity for them to practice the leadership skills that they’ve been honing all year,” said pedagogical consultant Matthew Kennedy. ”We do a lot of events, but this is the main one that is put on by students this year.”

Every year is full of accomplishments for these students.

“[We] celebrate all our differences and we’re all accepting here and we consider ourselves a one big family,” said special education technician Erliza Magajes.