Some cohorts have more to say than others. At the January pinning ceremony for American Career College-Los Angeles’ vocational nursing program, six student speakers addressed the cohort and their families during the emotional event.
The cohort speakers — Rosa Cervantes, Sam Farzadmehr, Gail-Ann Fernando, Martazia Green, Brianna Williams, Devon Wojtkow and Tumaini Sabali — shared personal stories about overcoming health problems, educational setbacks, support from their family and the importance of having good classmates.
Green — who underwent three months of treatment for an illness during her schooling — congratulated her classmates gathered at Seton Hall at St. Vincent Medical Center in Los Angeles for pushing through the tough times and completing the accelerated program.
“We’ve all accomplished a major milestone in our life. Completing nursing school is a major step, one that should be recognized for its immense significance. It’s an act not only of personal commitment but also one of pride,” Green told the audience. “Nursing school is not for the faint of heart. Those of us who are here, we have fought really hard to get here. We overcame life issues that threatened to put us down.”
Many of the speeches left audience members in tears or crying through their laughter. Each student speaker reinforced the importance of being a nurse and thanked the cohort for helping them achieve their goal.
"There’s no doubt in my mind that this was what I was meant to do,” ACC-LA graduate Rosa Cervantes said during her address. “I have a lot of people to thank for this, but I will begin by thanking my colleagues. They were my family this entire year. I mean it from the bottom of my heart when I say I’m honored to have been in school with all of you. You impress me every single day. You are the definition of courage, perseverance and intellect.”
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