Graduation

Yesterday I attended a very important event, the graduation ceremony of Jedi’s Crossing the Digital Divide class. Jedi taught the class as a volunteer and was so proud of his students. The entire class is made up of recovering drug addicts who are committed to learning how to use computers to improve their life situations. The range in age is broad and the backgrounds diverse, but everyone was so proud and excited at their accomplishments they came together in this environment of hope to briefly enjoy their step to a better future. What most impressed me were the student speakers who shared their stories of struggle and battles with addiction. All of them had the courage to announce to the world that they were still works in progress and that each accomplishment was huge in light of their past. The beauty of seeing people learning to trust themselves again was evident throughout the evening.

Another aspect of the Graduation and the class itself was how thirsty the students were for knowledge and how thankful they were to their teachers. Everyone had kind words for the people who helped them along the way. My heart was full hearing people praise Jedi’s patience and helpfulness. Now I might be biased, but I know for a fact that my boyfriend is a brilliant teacher. He has patience that would put a saint to shame, he teaches in his professional life and was proud that his students from Cri-help and House of Uhuru who attended the Crossing the Digital Divide class were more willing to learn then some of his clients. What a beautiful experience to be a part of. How good it feels to see people work towards and achieve their goals.

To read some graduating student’s stories, please look here.