Published June 2, 2010
By Geneviève April • NEWSFIRST
The three Salutatorians, Kamilia Lofti, Donna Fabiola Ingabire and Mary Fiona
Cavanaugh, holding their many well-deserved awards.
On May 20, the graduates of the Vimont Competency Development Centre (CDC) received their diplomas at the centre’s third graduation ceremony held at Chateau Royal. The evening was dedicated to the centre’s adult education students who achieved the task of obtaining their high school diplomas through much effort and perseverance.
These students, of all ages and backgrounds, had one point in common: they decided to go back to school and get a high school diploma even though the path to their success was not always an easy one. As the emotion-filled evening unfolded, many tears of pride and joy could be seen not only in the eyes of the graduates themselves, but also their friends and family members gathered to honour them.
The three Salutatorian speeches made it clear how important these diplomas were to the students, not only to get better jobs or salaries, but mainly as an accomplishment to be proud of.
“It made me dream new dreams and set new goals. I learned how to be more independent, to set rules for myself. Despite the challenges we faced, we continued to go to school. There, I found another way to look at myself,” said Salutatorian Donna Fabiola Ingabire in a heartfelt speech of her time spent at the Vimont CDC.
“The person who is standing in front of this audience and speaks now is the new Kamilia,” said Salutatorian Kamilia Lofti. “I was ashamed that I had dropped out of high school, and felt I was a failure to my family. It took work to rebuild my confidence.”
Mary Fiona Cavanaugh, also a Salutatorian, made a point in saluting the works and efforts of her fellow students. “I’m overjoyed to say that we finally made it, through work, tests and studies,” she said.
CDC Vimont provides an invaluable service in Laval’s northeastern sector. Students who were unable to complete their high school studies for various reasons end up at CDC Vimont, where they get a second chance to earn a high school leaving diploma and win back their self-respect in a relatively stress-free environment.