Former LAE student urges graduates to continue their education journey

PHOTO: Charles Ernesto, a Lewiston Adult Education graduate who this May received a master’s degree in cybersecurity from the University of Maine at Augusta, spoke to Lewiston Adult Education graduates June 14. (Submitted photo)

LEWISTON — Lewiston Adult Education graduates heard words of encouragement June 14 from a former graduate who started his educational journey in English Language classes at the Lewiston Adult Learning Center. Charles Ernesto graduated in May with a master’s degree in cybersecurity from the University of Maine at Augusta.
Ernesto told LAE graduates gathered at the Lewiston High School gymnasium that he worried about his difficulty speaking English when he arrived in the United States in 2013.
“I went to Lewiston Adult Education to start from scratch so that I could do better, and that is where my whole journey of success started,” he said. “I saw the difficulty, but not the impossibility. At Lewiston Adult Education I met the teachers who had become family and the community that encouraged me to reach my goals.”
He thanked Lewiston Adult Education instructor Laurianne Champagne for her support, along with all of the teachers and staff at Lewiston Adult Education. He encouraged the graduates to keep learning, “Before we separate to follow our individual paths, I want to take this opportunity to challenge you to continue to learn and to pursue continued education,” Ernesto said.
Lewiston Mayor Carl Sheline and Lewiston Public Schools Superintendent Jake Langlais also spokem acknowledging the graduates’ persistence and resilience.
Lewiston Adult Education instructor Mary Hunter, accompanied on the violin with student Ruth Kazadi, performed “Annie Laurie,” “Speed the Plough” and “Lamplighter’s Hornpipe.” Hunter, a retired Bowdoin College professor of music, volunteers at the center and taught a violin during the winter-spring 2022 semester.
The faculty also presented student awards that recognized academic excellence and achievement, improvement, resilience, work ethic and character. Recipients included Dakota Tyrrell, Academic Honors award; Othman Bustan, Academic Achievement award; Yanmei Ji, The “Yes I Can!” award; Palmira de Carvalho, Homework Hero award; Gregory Anderson, Academic Support award; Urgele Reningot, the Kindness Counts award.
For more information about earning a high school equivalency degree, workforce training, college preparation or English Language classes contact Lewiston Adult Education at 207-795-4141.