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Highlands Today

SFCC commencement exercises

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By MARC VALERO | Highlands Today

Published: May 8, 2009

Updated: 05/08/2009 03:28 pm

AVON PARK - Cheers filled the Panther Gymnasium Thursday evening as proud parents and relatives celebrated the achievements of the Class of 2009 at South Florida Community College's commencement exercises.

More than 700 students met the graduation requirements with about 200 choosing to participate in the ceremony.

"We hope that you will continue to learn as you experience life along with its many victories and its many challenges," SFCC President Norman Stephens said. "As a result of your education and efforts we envision a better life for all."

Paul Pryschocki, in the student address, spoke of change and the importance of education for the jobs of tomorrow.

"Change - every day we have to adapt to it," he said "How many of you knew what a blog was five years ago? How many of you know what a blog is now?"

In his blog, Stephens stated that a high school diploma may have been good enough in the past, but more education and training will be needed for the jobs of the future, Pryschocki said.

"We have seen in the last year and a half that the world's economy and the depression we are going through has affected our community as well," he said. "We need to continue our life-long education and we need to commit to continue our connection to the wider world.

"I urge you not to get comfortable or complacent with now. Keep challenging and push ourselves to the limit. Keep the end in mind when looking for your goals and keep your goal-oriented thinking in mind."

After the commencement exercise, students congratulated each other and posed for numerous family snapshots and just took a moment to celebrate before their next step – continuing their education or going into the workforce.

For Bobbi Snell graduation means six more weeks of school and then going out into the field of nursing.

She plans on staying in the area and believes nursing is a good career choice especially with the current world-wide economic woes.

"I think it's a good bet; everybody needs health care," she said.

For Summer Miller, graduation at SFCC is exciting, but she has a lot more schooling ahead of her starting in the fall at the University of Florida where she will study public relations.

Her mother added that her daughter has already been accepted into the state university.

"I'm going into school at the perfect time because everybody is wanting to go back to school right now because there are no jobs currently," Miller said.

Highlands Today reporter Marc Valero can be reached at 386-5826 or mvalero@highlandstoday.com

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