As students lit each other’s candles and passed the flame down the row, the light grew in the otherwise dark auditorium, moments before more than 30 local adults officially completed their licensed practical nursing education to join the healthcare workforce.
The candle-lighting ceremony representing Florence Nightingale helping soldiers at night while holding a lamp in the dark is a tradition that continued during the Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES Adult Practical Nursing Program’s 59th Commencement and Pledge Ceremony on Friday, June 16, at Herkimer Jr./Sr. High School.
Earlier in the ceremony, Herkimer BOCES District Superintendent Sandra Sherwood congratulated the graduates and said that by completing the LPN program, the students are bettering not only their own lives but the lives of their families and their community.
“Our tagline at Herkimer BOCES is ‘creating opportunities for growth,’ and this program is truly at the heart of this mission,” Sherwood said.
The Herkimer BOCES Adult Practical Nursing Program offers three options: a full-time class, a part-time day class and a part-time evening class. Students from all three classes who completed the program and have the opportunity to pass exams to become LPNs were celebrated during the ceremony.
The Herkimer BOCES LPN program is currently recruiting students for the next school year. The first step to applying is filling out an interest form at www.herkimer-boces.org/forms/lpn. You can also call 315-867-2206 or email sshedd@herkimer-boces.org. You can find more info at https://www.herkimer-boces.org/lpn.
One student from each class gave an address during the ceremony.
Student Zakary Weakley spoke for the full-time class and said he entered the program knowing nothing about nursing and now is ready to work as a nurse.
“I’ve always wanted to help people my whole life, and I’m finally doing that,” Weakley said.
Student Rebecca Chol spoke for the part-time day class and discussed her long path from growing up in Africa, moving to the United States, becoming a certified nursing assistant and now graduating from the Herkimer BOCES LPN program. She also thanked instructors and congratulated her classmates.
“Nursing school is a tough, tough journey, but we made it through,” Chol said.
Student Cassondra French spoke for the part-time evening class and told her classmates that any institution would be fortunate to have any one of them working there as a nurse.
“I’m so proud of every person on this stage,” French said.
2023 Graduates
Full-time program:
- Velina Dizdarevic
- Sabrina Goding
- Lauren Hill
- Kalianne Jackson
- Patrick Kelley
- Zakary Weakley
Part-time day program:
- Renee Bonneau
- Rebecca Chol
- Kayana Cunningham
- Brittany Dillenbeck
- Robyn Perry
Part-time evening program:
- Danielle Anderson
- Paula Baurle
- Holly Bigelow
- Olivia Brown
- Jennifer Cechnicki
- Raelynn Christman
- Natasha Cool
- Samantha Cruikshank
- Hannah Franklin
- Cassondra French
- Nina Grullon
- Chelsea Hinkle
- Miranda Hubbell
- Bella Jackson
- Sarah McWaters
- Jason Pearson
- Lindsey Rende
- Danielle Riesel
- Katelyn Rumovicz
- Matthew Shirley
- Megan Szuba
LPN graduation awards
Highest Average in Fundamentals of Nursing:
- Full-time: Velina Dizdarevic
- Part-time day: Robyn Perry
- Part-time evening: Cassondra French
Highest Average in Medical Surgical Nursing:
- Full-time: Kalianne Jackson
- Part-time day: Robyn Perry
- Part-time evening: Cassondra French
Professional and Academic Improvement:
- Full-time: Kalianne Jackson
- Part-time day: Kayana Cunningham
- Part-time evening: Megan Szuba
Best Clinical Nurse:
- Full-time: Patrick Kelley
- Part-time day: Renee Bonneau
- Part-time evening: Danielle Riesel
Florence Nightingale Award:
- Full-time: Zakary Weakley
- Part-time day: Rebecca Chol
- Part-time evening: Jason Pearson
The Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES Adult Practical Nursing Program Class of 2023 participates in a candle-lighting ceremony during the program’s 59th Commencement and Pledge Ceremony on Friday, June 16, at Herkimer Jr./Sr. High School.
The Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES Adult Practical Nursing Program Class of 2023 participates in a candle-lighting ceremony during the program’s 59th Commencement and Pledge Ceremony on Friday, June 16, at Herkimer Jr./Sr. High School.
The Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES Adult Practical Nursing Program Class of 2023 participates in a candle-lighting ceremony during the program’s 59th Commencement and Pledge Ceremony on Friday, June 16, at Herkimer Jr./Sr. High School.
The Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES Adult Practical Nursing Program Class of 2023 participates in a candle-lighting ceremony during the program’s 59th Commencement and Pledge Ceremony on Friday, June 16, at Herkimer Jr./Sr. High School.
The Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES Adult Practical Nursing Program Class of 2023 participates in a candle-lighting ceremony during the program’s 59th Commencement and Pledge Ceremony on Friday, June 16, at Herkimer Jr./Sr. High School.
Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES Adult Practical Nursing Program student Zakary Weakley gives the student address for the full-time class during the program’s 59th Commencement and Pledge Ceremony on Friday, June 16, at Herkimer Jr./Sr. High School.
Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES Adult Practical Nursing Program Rebecca Chol gives the student address for the part-time day class during the program’s 59th Commencement and Pledge Ceremony on Friday, June 16, at Herkimer Jr./Sr. High School.
Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES Adult Practical Nursing Program student Cassondra French gives the student address for the part-time evening class during the program’s 59th Commencement and Pledge Ceremony on Friday, June 16, at Herkimer Jr./Sr. High School.
The Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES Adult Practical Nursing Program Class of 2023 participates in the program’s 59th Commencement and Pledge Ceremony on Friday, June 16, at Herkimer Jr./Sr. High School.