Commencement
Paris Loutsis, 2008 Commencement Student speaker
Associate of Technical Arts, Early Childhood Education
 |
| Edmonds Community College Trustees with the Class of 2008’s student speaker, from left to right, Emily Yim, college president Jack Oharah, Paris Loutsis, board chair Dick Van Hollebeke, Jeannette Wood, and Quentin Powers. |
Commencement Speech 2008
Good evening fellow students, faculty, family, friends, and Governor Chris Gregoire. I’m honored to be representing tonight’s graduating class.
Commencement signifies the end of part of our education. However, it also indicates our new beginning and a new path ahead.
Soon, we will all be alumni of Edmonds Community College, but, as I stand here before you, I am reminded of another alumni group I belong to, we call ourselves Foster Care Alumni.
As a foster teen, I stayed in nine different foster homes and a number of teen shelters. I carried my things from place to place in plastic bags. I never knew what to expect from the new people I met and I rarely had a room of my own. I lived in a constant state of insecurity and instability, with a feeling of abandonment. I worried for my future.
The transition out of foster care was extremely difficult. When I turned 18, I had to live on my own and I was completely unprepared. I had no money and no driver’s license and I was still on the move, couch surfing with friends who would take me in.
Thankfully, my last set of foster parents, Margaret and Ron, made sure I got the 4-1-1 about the responsibilities of an adult. They were always nudging me to get my education.
But I was terrified of school. I’d had bad experiences in a number of them. I was never good at getting decent grades, fitting in, and committing to homework. And I thought, “Why would I want to go to school when I have to get a job?”
Then, at age 19, I took a pregnancy test and it came back positive.
The moment I saw that I knew I was going to be a single mother and knew that I could no longer let this fear of school hold me down. My child was going to count on me and only me for love and support. I wanted to provide my family with the things I didn’t have: security… stability…and self-sufficiency.
During my pregnancy, I saved every penny I made in my job at a childcare center to be able to take a short maternity leave and earned my high school diploma. When my son turned 4 months, I went to Edmonds Community College just to see if there was any chance I could enroll and start school. To my luck, the new quarter was about to start and financial aid accepted my application. I was going to start school! I could not believe it! I told everyone I knew.
I’m still amazed at the wonderful resources that were offered to me at Edmonds Community College. TRiO Student Support Services offered free tutoring and counseling and Services for Students with Disabilities helped me with math anxiety. There were also jobs on campus that helped me support my son. The college made it so easy for me to make a smooth transition back into school.
I was blessed with the opportunity to work as a receptionist at the campus’s counseling center. At Edmonds, I found a stable place where I could trust people to do their best to help me succeed. School helped me feel alive again because I was doing something so positive and beneficial to my future career.
I never thought that I — a single parent…former foster kid… and victim of domestic violence living below the poverty line — could ever overcome the challenges to succeed at school. But tonight I am pleased to say that I hold a 3.5 GPA, have made great friends, and can’t wait to earn another degree. My dream is to one day earn a Master’s in Social Work at the University of Washington.
I encourage anyone out in the audience tonight, who has ever thought that college was beyond them — you can do this. Obtaining an education is extremely possible. Put your heart into it and watch wonderful things happen — just look at all these graduates!
Every one of us could tell a story about our personal challenges and we all know about cramming for tests, writing long reports, grabbing dinners out of vending machines, and trying to sneak peeks at our textbooks while at work. But we all made it!
I would like to thank my family and friends for standing by my side. Thank you to all college employees and faculty for guiding me on this wonderful journey. Words cannot express my appreciation for the dedication of my early childhood education instructors: Connie Schatz, Sandy Arnold, Wayne Reinhardt, Luba Bezborodnikova, and Karyn Smith.
And thank you to my son, Kyden, now two-and-a-half, for hanging in there in at daycare 12 hours a day while mommy set a foundation for our future.
To the fabulous graduating class of 2008, you should all be so impressed by your hard work, dedication, and joyful spirits!
You all have reached a great accomplishment! Remember, this is only the beginning; use what you have earned tonight as a starting point in your success. Continue to work hard at reaching your goals and follow your dreams.
And, breathe a huge sigh of relief because there is nothing due on Monday!
CONGRATULATIONS CLASS OF 2008!!!