high school equivalency program hep

High School Equivalency Program HEP

Cent ra l Va l l ey

Oppor tun i ty Cent er

Special points of inter-

est:

HEP employee

awards

Student Speeches

Merced/Madera/Modesto

HEP Visits

Inside this issue:

Merced Speech 2/3

Madera Speech 4/5

Modesto Speech 6/7

HEP 2015/2016 Pictures 8

HEP 2015/2016 Pictures 9

We are on the WEB 10

List of Graduates 10

Volume 3, Issue 3 June 24, 2016

The surprise at any event, special day and

even a special announcement never prepares

anyone for what is to come next or even what

words you might have to have ready when the

day your name is called and you are asked to

stand, walk and receive an award for CVOC-

EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR AWARD. The

moment is not real and embarrassment over

takes your whole being. You gaze across the

room and see a hundred eyes starring back at you some taking that deep breath with

you and others smiling back at you to hear what you might have to say. The company

director hands the trophy to your program supervisor who in turn smiles and hands you

the trophy with your first and last name written across the bottom plate.

WOW…here I am receiving this trophy and I am overcome with emotion. Why am I

nervous?….I have stood before large groups of people and I have spoken to my students

daily and now I try and speak only to hear some muffled words that come to the surface

that I am trying to get out so as to thank everyone for this honor. This time this audi-

ence is watching me and this award is for me…. I am very humbled by this recognition.

I truly believe that as a member of the HEP TEAM…..this trophy belongs to ALL of

us.

The CVOC EMPLOEE OF THE YEAR AWARD FOR MANAGER-2016 was awarded to

Mrs. Beatrice Martinez, HEP Program Coordinator. The CVOC EMPLOYEE OF THE

YEAR AWARD FOR CLIENT SERVICES -2016 was awarded to Ms. Triny Cortez, HEP

Instructor at the Modesto site. I can honestly say that we have both worked very hard

and do what we do because we have a passion for teaching and enjoy working with this

underserved adult population. The success of each one of these students is our success.

The CVOC-HEP program over the years has become a unique and successful High

School Equivalency Program which has acquired high recognition within the three coun-

ties it serves, Merced, Madera and Stanislaus. Awesome work HEP Team!!!

Written by: Mrs. Beatrice Martinez (CVOC-HEP Coordinator)

CVOC-HEP RUNS AWAY WITH EMPOLYEE OF

THE YEAR AWARDS

Triny Cortez (HEP Instructor) &

Beatrice Martinez (HEP Coordinator)

Volume 3 Issue 3

Merced Student Speech-Dulce Tellez Good Morning everyone, my name is Dulce Tellez and it is a privi-

lege for me to say these words. I want to begin by thanking each and

every one of you for being here celebrating this special day with us.

Now I would like to share a little bit about me, I was born in Mex-

ico; I come from a small town and a very hardworking family. I

would also like to share that not even in my wildest dreams did I ever

imagine to be where I am today. For a long time I dreamt about be-

ing here sharing this moment, and today it’s another dream come

true, thank you God.

I want to take this opportunity to thank CVOC because thanks to the programs they offer I

was able to reach another goal that seemed unattainable; which was to obtain my High School

Equivalency Diploma. For many years I had postponed going back to school, finally last year I not

only thought of it but had the determination to do it. Now that dream that seemed so far away came

true.

I also want to thank those who helped me believe in myself. Thank you Mrs. Martinez for all

your support, for all your valuable advice and that little push that I needed to continue forward. To

my teacher Isabel Miramontes for the impact that she has had in my life when I wanted to give up.

Finally I also want to thank those who did not believe in me, those who

would discourage me telling me that I was too old to go back to school. Your

opinions only made me stronger and helped me go forward until I reached

my goal. All I can say is that it is never too late, you are never too old, be-

cause when you really want something you work until you meet it. Of course

it might not be easy, but nothing worthwhile is, you have to strive forward

with the victory insight. To those who are indecisive of whether they can go

back to school or not, I want to invite you to give yourselves that opportu-

nity, we can all do it, and it’s only a matter of wanting it bad enough and

believing in yourself.

Lastly I want to thank my family for the support they’ve given me and for believing in me. I

want to especially dedicate this accomplishment to a wonderful person, a role model for me and al-

though it might be somewhat late, mom this is for you…...Thank You!

I just want to leave you with one more thing. If I could do it, then so can you!

Dulce Tellez

“ Thank you to all

those that didn't be-

lieve in me, those that

would discourage

me. Your opinions

only made me

stronger and helped

me reach my goal.”

Volume 3, Issue 3

Good morning everyone, my name is Blanca Vargas, it is an

honor for me to share this message with you all. I arrived in a

country where everything was different to me. For instance the

language, something so fundamental for everything a person

wants to accomplish in a new country. The first thing I did was

to get a job to be able to make a living in this new world.

I admire all the people who work hard toward a better life, the

people who sacrifice to provide a better life for their families,

like all the graduates present here, all the graduates who along

with me took the challenge to attain their Diploma. I admire you because it was a challenge and a

commitment that required the best of our abilities, and after such a long time, hard work and sacri-

fices today we celebrate.

Today we have taken a step forward. I can see pride, happiness

and triumph in my fellow classmates’ faces. I encourage you to not stop

here, to continue until you reach all your goals and accomplish what you

really want, striving always for a brighter future. We know it is not easy

but with effort and determination we will accomplish it the same way we

have today.

I would like to thank God first for giving me the family I have,

who were happy for me when I decided to come back to school, searching

for a better life. I also want to thank every person who was with me and who supported me

throughout this time. To our instructor, Isabel Miramontes, our counselor Johanna Media our HEP

Program coordinator Mrs. Martinez, thank you. I also want to thank CVOC for everything they do

for the community because thanks to their programs we are here today.

I want to congratulate my classmates one more time. Congratulations for accomplishing this

goal. To all those present here thank you for making this celebration such a special one.

To each of the HEP graduates……….. CONGRATULATIONS!!!

“Today we have taken

a step forward. I can

see pride, happiness

and triumph in my fel-

low classmates’

faces. I encourage

you to not stop here,

instead continue to

strive forward”

Merced Student Speech-Blanca Vargas

Blanca Vargas

Volume 3, Issue 3

Undertaking a new journey, seeking something, a new objective,

wanting to reach that goal that sometimes seems unreachable, some-

thing we have dreamed of so many times. Starting from zero, along

the way we find so many obstacles, and halfway we realize we have

advanced in that journey we started. Sometimes we feel lost, with no

direction, not knowing what path to follow but if you don’t know it’s

okay. Human beings loose their way sometimes.

A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step, and that step will

take you to another step and so forth and you will discover that once

again, you are on the right path, trying to reach your goals. I can assure you, that so many steps will

take you somewhere, to another dimension. If you are afraid, that is okay, it’s part of human nature,

but don’t stop that journey.

Even if it takes too long, DON’T GIVE UP, the finish line is closer than you imagined, that goal be-

longs to you, you just have to reach it.

My name is Sonia Lizeth Ramirez, I came to this country two years ago. I am

beginning from zero, starting a new life. I am in the process of learning a new

language and making new friends. CVOC has given me the opportunity to

better myself, to continue with my education and prepare myself for better

opportunities I encounter on my way.

At CVOC, I didn’t just learn about History, Math, Science, etc. I have

learned to share with others the knowledge I have acquired. One, who helps

others, is rewarded, and needs to share what he or she has been taught in life. At CVOC I have found

good people, loyal, respectful, humble, honest and hardworking…and these are just a few qualities I

have mentioned, because they possess more qualities. If I was to choose a word to define these quali-

ties, it would be “unstoppable warriors” because they possess a strong spirit.

This is just the beginning, having reached our goal, will open new doors and bring more opportunities

to accomplish. CONGRATULATIONS HEP GRADUATES!!!!

“A Journey of a

thousand miles

begins with one

step, and that step

will take you to

another, until you’ve

reached your goals.”

Madera Student Speech-Sonia Ramirez

Sonia Ramirez

Volume 3, Issue 3

Good Morning fellow graduates, family and friends, my name is Ve-

ronica Torres. I am very excited to be here today sharing this special

moment of my life with you. These past four months were very chal-

lenging. I left school at the age of 16 to take care of my first born son.

As a teen mom I didn’t believe school should have been my main pri-

ority. My parents always told me to continue with my education,

they wanted to help me but I didn’t feel it was their responsibility.

A few years later I met Jorge, who is now my husband. He tried many times to motivate me to go

back to school but I felt like my time had passed, that it was too late to return. I obtained a very well

paying job at State Farm insurance and I was able to get my insurance license as I was working for

them. Six years later, out of nowhere, they closed the office in Madera.

All of a sudden, I was jobless so I applied numerous times at a lot of places. I had the experience but

all employers asked for a High School diploma. I had no choice but to stay at

home, my husband and my kids were so excited that I was home, that when

they would come back from work or school the house was clean and dinner was

ready. I had never stayed at home so I was excited as well. After a few months

at home I could not take it anymore so my husband and kids suggested that I

go back to school. I thought there was no way that I would be able to accom-

plish that. My belief was that getting my GED certificate would take me for-

ever.

Finally, I learned about CVOC. I remember the day I walked into Mrs. Roman’s classroom. I was so

nervous but she made me feel so welcomed. She said to me, “I know you can do this”. After just a

couple of weeks, I wanted to quit but what example was I going to give my kids. Whenever my kids

and husband saw me struggling with homework, they helped me.

So here I am, I did it. Something I thought was going to be impossible, was done in a few months. If

I was out of school for about 20 years and was able to do it, anyone can do it. I am now planning to

attend college in the next few months.

Special thanks to all my family, Mrs. Roman and all my beautiful classmates that helped me.

Thank you!

“Here I am, I did it.

Something I thought

was going to be

impossible, was done

in a few months. If I

was able to do it,

anyone can.”

Madera Student Speech-Veronica Torres

Veronica Torres

Volume 3, Issue 3

My name is Yazmin Munoz and before I say anything else, I would like

to begin by congratulating every single graduate.

You should all be very proud of yourselves. We all know it took hard

work to get here. Each and every one of us had our own struggles to

overcome in order to be here today. However, being here is only the be-

ginning. With our certificates in hand we have opened a door that will

lead us to more and greater opportunities. It might be a better job; it

might be continuing our education. No matter what you decide to do, I

believe it is very important to set more goals for ourselves and to push

ourselves to achieve them.

There is a saying that states that, “YOU ARE NEVER TO OLD TO ESTABLISH A NEW GOAL OR

HAVE A NEW DREAM.” So whenever and if you ever feel that you could never aspire to accomplish

more, keep this day close to you heart and mind. You are here because you pushed, because you

worked hard, and because you believed in yourself. Know that you have in your own hands the key

to your success.

Personally, I am very happy to have attained my GED certificate and to

have set a good example for my children. With this accomplishment my

children can see that even though nothing is going to be given to them, if

they work hard, nothing will be impossible either.

I would like to thank God for all the blessings that I have received, my

husband for all his support and my mother as well. I would also like to

thank CVOC-HEP for the opportunities they give people like me and for all their help. I would like

to thank my teacher Triny Cortez because she never let me give up and for becoming more than just

a teacher, but also a good friend. With all my heart, thank you teacher. I also would like to thank

Mrs. Martinez for all her words of encouragement that she shared with all the students while I was in

the program.

WE DID IT, THANK YOU AND CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU ALL!!!!

Modesto Student Speech-Yazmin Munoz

Yazmin Muñoz Yazmin Munoz

Volume 3, Issue 3

Good morning to everyone. My name is Maricela Morales and I am a

graduate from the HEP program at the Modesto CVOC Center.

I would like to begin by thanking God for all the blessing that we

can see today in the faces of every graduate and their families that

are here today. Thank you all for being here today to celebrate this

very special day with us. The road for many of us that are here to-

day was not an easy one. For many of us there were several obstacles

that we needed to face. Just by being adults the majority of us have

several responsibilities that can often complicate things for us to

reach our goals. Nevertheless, having attained our goal of obtaining

our certificate, symbolizes the amount of work and sometimes even sacrifices that we endured, in the

end we never gave up and we accomplished our goal.

My personal road toward obtaining my GED was not an easy one. Dur-

ing the process several things happened that had the potential in becom-

ing obstacles for me to reach my goal. Fortunately, on that road there

were several people who offered their support and thanks to them my

goal became a reality. Next, I would like to thank several of those peo-

ple. First, I would like to thank my husband for his patience and uncon-

ditional support. I would also like to thank all the HEP personal, the ex-

ecutive director of CVOC (Ernie Flores), the program coordinator

(Beatrice Martinez), the teacher (Triny Cortez), and the case manager (Lucina Herrera). To all of

you, thank you for all your help that you offered me.

To end, I would like to leave you with these words:

“Never let anyone tell you that you can’t do something. If you have a dream, fight for it. Work hard,

try hard, never get discouraged and you shall make all your dreams a reality. Simply put, If you want

something, go get it!!!!”

Congratulations to all the HEP graduates, YES, WE DID IT!!!

Modesto Student Speech-Maricela Morales

Maricela Morales

Volume 3, Issue 3

HEP Students –Visit Area Universities

Madera Students Visit CSUF

Modesto Students Visit CSUS

Merced Students Visit UC Merced

HEP Students Reflect after their campus visits Modesto-Luis Herrera wrote:

Walking through the univer-

sity was very exciting. The

simple fact of being able to

see where many students are

able to reach their educa-

tional objectives, was very

interesting. After a while of

walking through the campus

we took a break to have

something to eat and to listen

to more information regard-

ing the school. Truthfully

speaking, everything went

well and it was an overall

good experience.

Madera-Mayra Vasquez wrote: My trip to Fresno State was great because they told me that they have a lot of clubs for me to join. I have decided to be a student at Fresno State in the future. The library has 1 million books and the under-ground floor was breath tak-ing, it was so beautiful. The whole experience was very informative and it has moti-vated me to continue with my education. I want to thank CVOC for making this trip hap-pen.

Merced-Aracely Aguirre

wrote:

Before going to UCM I had

many questions, for instance, i

did not know approximately

how much was it to attend

there. I did not know what type

of majors they offered, or even

how big it was.. When we got

there I could see it was pretty

big. It was a great experience

to visit UC Merced we got a lot

of information that can be

helpful in the future if we de-

cide to go to the university.

Volume 3, Issue 3

Students had the opportunity to attend an end of the year field trip to the

Columbia State Park-”1852 Gold Rush Tent City Reenactment.”

HEP Students-Visit Columbia State Park

Some students were able to ride “The Stage

Coach Express.”

Some students visited an 1852 supply store.

Some students listened attentively to Pro-

fessor FB.

Mrs. Martinez enjoying our trip.

A few friendly ladies from the gold rush era.

2015-2016 HEP Graduates: Modesto, Madera, and Merced

Central Valley Opportunity

Center6838 Bridget Ct.

Winton Ca 95388

Phone: (209) 357-0062

Fax: (209) 357-0071

Email: [email protected]

Cent ra l Va l l ey O pp or tun i t y Cent er Present s 5 Mor e year s fo r HEP

We are on the WEB

cvoc.org

CVOC is happy to announce that we have received Federal funds from the Department of Educa-

tion to provide migrant and seasonal farm workers who have dropped out of school with a unique

and exciting opportunity to obtain a GED certificate. The High School Equivalency Program (HEP) is

a 16 week HSED program that is being offered in English and Spanish.

To be eligible for the program a person, a parent or relative living in the household, must have

spent a minimum of 75 days during the past 24 months as a migrant or seasonal field worker. He/

she must be at least 18 years of age or over, or beyond the age of compulsory school attendance,

not currently enrolled in a secondary school and not have earned a secondary school diploma or its

equivalent.

The participants will receive individualized instruction within a structured GED curriculum as well

as career, academic, life skills and personal counseling. The program will also assist participants

with their individualized educational/employment goals such as entering a postsecondary educa-

tion, military, or be placed in a career development program. All materials and books needed for

the program will be provided absolutely FREE.

Presently, the program is being held at three sites, Winton, Modesto, and Madera. If interested,

you may call or visit the Merced Training Center/Winton at 6838 Bridget Court; PH: (209) 357-

0062 Ext.135, the Stanislaus Training Center/Suite 100-Modesto at 1581 Cummins Dr. PH: (209)

577-3210,or Madera Training Center 1930 Howard Rd , Suite #125-Madera CA . PH: (559) 662-

0100

DON’T THINK– JUST DO IT!!

Modesto

1. Alondra D. Arriaga 2. Yazmin Munoz 3. Jaime Lemus 4. Caterine Martinez 5. Cecilia Garcia 6. Jessica Garcia 7. Berenice Gonzalez 8. Brenda Ilizaliturri 9. Eduardo Gallegos 10. Judith Enriquez 11. Maria G. Nunez 12. Maria G. Oregel 13. Alma Ruiz 14. Yessenia Hernandez 15. Rocio Vega 16. Luz A. Munoz 17. Araceli Salgado 18. Norma Nunez 19. Manuel A. Ocampo 20. Maricela Morales 21. Perla K. Panduro 22. Senen Osorio 23. Jose R. Venegas 24. Omar Munoz 25. Jaime Avalos 26. Noemi Rodriguez 27. Elizabeth Perez 28. Maria Y. Perez 29. Luis Perez 30. Silvia Arevalo 31. Alexandro Vazquez 32. Gilberto Vazquez 33. Rosa Flores

Merced

1. Yarelli Tellez Badillo 2. Maria Udave 3. Onesimo E. Fernandez 4. Juana Hernandez 5. Karina Cruz Mejia 6. Maximiliano Madrigal 7. Jazmin Castillo 8. Marcela Diaz 9. Dulce Tellez 10. Carmen Perez 11. Angelica Castro Munoz 12. Blanca Andrade 13. Jesus Vidal 14. Maria Rodriguez 15. Jaqueline Hernandez 16. Adan Silva 17. Yolanda Villareal 18. Arturo Villasenor 19. Rafael Rodriguez 20. Luis Cervantes 21. Aracely Aguirre 22. Blanca Vargas 23. Celia Perez 24. Maria Isabel Tinta 25. Guadalupe Alanis 26. Christopher Coronado 27. Jesus Rodriguez 28. Edith Zuniga

Madera

1. Fabiola de Jesus Lopez 2. Sonia Ramirez 3. Jesus Ramirez 4. Ana Avalos 5. Catalina Perez Perez 6. Maria Granados 7. Silvia Sanchez 8. Sixta Ortiz 9. Leticia Hernandez 10. Rosario Aparicio Castro 11. Luz Gracida 12. Ana Ortiz 13. Rosa Corona 14. Veronica Torres 15. Cristina Reyes Vazquez 16. Ricardo Montes 17. Lorena Venegas 18. Denise Marcelo 19. Laura Maldonado 20. Dora Olivares

Modesto

34. Denis A Villeda 35. Gustavo Calderon 36. Brian Hernandez 37. Aurora Modesto

high school equivalency program hep

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