They did not earn their high school diplomas the way most do. They faced incredible challenges that caused some detours. But the 26 men and women who collected their diplomas Tuesday night at Rockville High School never gave up. They worked. They adapted. They overcame.

And teachers, administrators and staff of Vernon Regional Adult Based Education pushed, encouraged and supported the 54 people who earned their diplomas during the 2025-2026 school year.

“Tonight’s achievement reflects more than academic success,” VRABE Regional Director Melissa Iles told the graduates. “It reflects resilience, dedication, and the willingness to persevere when the path became difficult. Earning a diploma demonstrates strength of character and the belief that it is never too late to work toward a better future.”

Vernon Mayor Dan Champagne told the graduates they and their families should be proud of what they achieved, and that he was delighted to be among the first people to congratulate them for their achievement.

“It’s a great day,” Mayor Champagne said. “Every single year I look forward to this graduation because I know you guys have taken a different path. And you should be very proud of yourselves. I can’t say that enough. I understand … what you’ve gone through to get here today.”

Vernon Superintendent of Schools Dr. Joseph P. Macary shared a similar message.

“Tonight is a culmination of all your hard work in class, commitment to learning and dedication to making a difference in your lives,” Dr. Macary said. “I salute you and congratulate you on this achievement as it marks the end of one chapter of your lives and hopefully starts another towards a path of life-long learning.”

Two student speakers described the challenges they faced on their journey to a diploma and their pride in reaching an important milestone.

Kiara L. Vecchi-Jones said she was 17 when she began her journey toward earning a general education development diploma. During that journey she got married, had two children and lost a very important great-aunt. The leaders at VRABE welcomed her back and encouraged her on.

Along the way she took courses to become a certified nursing assistant and obtained a license and a job.

“My journey taught me that success is not always a straight path,” Vecchi-Jones said. “There may be setbacks, challenges and moments when you doubt yourself, but if you keep moving forward and never give up, you can accomplish more than you ever imagined.”

Christopher Emeanua, who earned a diploma through the National External Diploma Program, said he went to VRABE because he wanted to earn his diploma, even though he did not like schoolwork.

“I still knew it needed to be done,” he said.

With the encouragement of VRABE staff, he buckled down. He read. He did his work.

“The more I read, the more I understood,” he said. “The more I continued to put in effort, the more I saw this as more than just boring work. I found something deeper. Then I saw enjoyment in learning. And for the first time in a long time, I actually wanted to learn and to dive deeper into what I was learning.”

He said that when he was young people looked down on him and called him dumb and stupid. When he did not succeed, his family blamed the schools he attended. Now, Emeanua said, he realizes the fault was his.

“I am, today, a high school graduate who put in the work to get where I am today,” he said. “I am proud of myself for accomplishing something I never thought I could do.”

In addition to the graduates who earned their diplomas, VRABE celebrated Adezia Ortiz, who completed the course work to become a United States citizens and is now an American. She carried the U.S. flag at the head of the line of graduates during Thursday night’s procession.

To learn more about VRABE and its diploma, English as a second language, citizenship and other programs, visit www.vrabe.com.