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Diplomas provide a career bridge

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By GEORGE H. NEWMAN

gnewman@tampatrib.com

Published: June 10, 2009

PLANT CITY - The students who graduated from Simmons Career Center May 27 have good reason to be excited about their recent accomplishments, school officials said.

Hundreds of family and friends flocked to the John R. Trinkle Community Center for the graduation of 85 students. At Simmons Career Center, students who once were at risk of dropping out of school received diplomas that may be "a bridge to the future," which is the school slogan.

"We are very proud of our graduating class," Principal Leslie Morris said. "Our students come to us in a two-year program. Our job is to help them break a cycle of failure that may persist in their lives. Our graduates have found new career and technical skills that can be carried with them through life. Finding new goals helps them to reach for and achieve a high school diploma."

Nineteen of the graduating students are members of the National Technical Honors Society. Eighteen were recipients of the Hillsborough Community College Billy Pou Scholarship. One student, Peter J. Maben, was recognized for his perfect attendance.

The Pou scholarship winners will split $32,000, Morris said.

Reporter George H. Newman can be reached at (813) 627-4735.

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