ConVal student Jarek Noschese stood at the podium at his graduation from the Keene Region IMPACCT Academy, he said, he didn’t have his speech, but he would give one anyway. He stayed calm and spoke from his heart, demonstrating the life skills, flexibility and confidence the academy gives its students.
“I always thought about giving up, but I had to push myself forward. And that’s what I want all of you to do,” Noschese, 20, of Peterborough told his fellow graduates. “You are far more capable than you may think. And I haven’t always seen myself to have the chance to able to shine like I have. … It’s hard because I have a disability myself, but that’s why I’m tackling it not trying to run away from it. You folks must do the same. … We all come from different backgrounds, but we all want to succeed in life.
The Keene Region IMPACCT Academy, which relocated to Peterborough in the fall, held its first graduation in Peterborough on Jan. 25, sending nine young men on their way into the world better equipped to handle life.
“This IMPACCT program has been amazing. It has taught us to be independent and for me, helped me develop self-advocacy goals, how to keep a checkbook and how to pay bills,” said Garrett Shows, 20, of Peterborough.’
When Shows thought he couldn’t do it he told himslef, “Yes you have the skills to be independent. … It has been eye-opening to see myself improve. To see my friends improve.”
The ceremony and celebration were held at Reynold’s Hall of All Saints Church on Concord Street with family, friends, school personnel as well as representatives from local businesses that offered work experience to the young men as well as New Hampshire Commissioner of Education Frank Edelblut.
Edelblut addressed the group, congratulating them on completing the program and demonstrating they had acquired the skills the program teaches. He also told them that while the program has made them more independent that everyone needs help from friends and family and programs from time to time.
“Never be afraid to reach out to that support network,” Edelblut said.
Debbie Cortes, lead transition specialist at Granite State Independent Living, said students are identified and recommended by their schools that fall within the region the Keene Region IMPACCT Academy covers.
For some reason, there were a lot of students from ConVal High School this year, she said, but it varies from year to year.
“We take all students with disabilities. … It could be depression, it could be autism, it could be Asperger’s, it could be a physical disability. Anything that is a barrier to getting employment,” Cortes said.
The ConVal High School students who graduated were Andres Tourgee, Garrett Shows, Hunter Chandler, Branden Davis, Jarek Noschese, Justin Clark, Justin Berry, and Nathan Tower. The other graduate was Gabriel Oakes from Keene High School.
IMPACCT, which stands for Inspiring the Mastery of Post-secondary Achievement in College, Career & Training, is a partnership of New Hampshire Vocational Rehabilitation, Granite State Independent Living and high schools throughout New Hampshire and seeks to decrease the high school dropout rate and set the students on a career path that includes hands-on learning through work experience.
The local businesses that hosted students for work experiences were the Peterborough Wood Bank, Belletetes, Verizon, Pheasant Wood, Scott Farrar and the Monadnock Ledger-Transcript.