Community Transition students hold first-ever joint graduation ceremony

For the first time ever, Community Transition (CT) programs from five rural districts in Whatcom County came together to hold a joint graduation ceremony. The five districts were Blaine, Ferndale, Lynden, Mt. Baker and Nooksack Valley. The ceremony, which took place on May 29 at Berthusen Park in Lynden, celebrated the graduation of 12 students.

CT programs are intended for special needs students between the ages of 18 and 21. The programs are designed to help students develop skills needed to live independently, including cooking, house cleaning, budgeting and employment skills. Many CT students spend part of each week working in local businesses as a way to develop job skills.

CT programs in Whatcom County tend to be small, so the teachers often collaborate as a way to create more meaningful learning and social opportunities for their students. The CT programs have come together in the past for field trips, holiday parties and workshops.

Kristen Bock, the teacher for Lynden’s CT program, came up with the idea for a shared graduation, and the other teachers quickly got behind the idea. The teachers from the other districts include Kathleen Mangan (Blaine), Thomas Hinz (Ferndale), Leslie Dykstra (Nooksack Valley) and Derek Johnson (Mt. Baker).

This year’s graduates were Vanessa Myers (Blaine), Ashley Perry (Ferndale), Destiny Thomas (Ferndale), Trystan Saab (Ferndale), Lauren Ballard (Lynden), Grant White (Lynden), Nikkia Wiley (Lynden), Brook Bowhay (Mt. Baker), Brie Figgie (Mt. Baker), Bailey Lemley (Mt. Baker), Riley Moore (Nooksack Valley) and Jessi Pureco (Nooksack Valley).