Sussex Consortium honors Class of 2024
Cheers, applause, laughter and tears filled Sussex Consortium May 31, as 12 students graduated from the program and took their first steps toward continued training, college and the workforce.
Guest speaker and 2023 Sussex Consortium graduate Marcus Carreno, who has also worked as a substitute service aide this year, thanked his former teachers and said he was so happy to see his friends.
“We sure did learn a lot,” he said. “Good luck in your best adult life. I have been there and I have the best adult life.”
Principal Vivian Bush said the unwavering determination of students and their families has brought them to this milestone.
“Each of you has a unique journey, but what ties and unites you is your extraordinary ability to triumph over challenges and thrive despite the odds,” Bush said, her voice quavering. “You have proven that disability does not define you, but rather is just a part of the beautiful tapestry that makes you who you are.”
Bush also thanked her staff, whose dedication, commitment and belief in the potential of every student has helped shape their futures.
Superintendent Bob Fulton said when he speaks with people in the community, the staff and students of Sussex Consortium emerge as the most common positive attributes of the district.
The staff must display the ability to adjust, which is not easy, he said, but the employees make it seem that way. Consortium students are inspiring, he said, and make everyone laugh, smile and sometimes cry, all in the same day.
“You are such an important part of who we are as a school district,” Fulton said. “This program, and all of you, not only make Cape better, you also make our entire community better.”
Guest speaker Susan Berry, who retired as assistant principal three months ago after a nearly 38-year career with Sussex Consortium, highlighted the accomplishments of each graduate.
Some pupils began as pre-kindergarten students, while some came from other Cape schools or other districts, she said, and some families even moved to the area, seeking different or better services for their children.
“But no matter how you got here, you found the Sussex Consortium, where all children can learn,” she said.
Graduates will enter the workforce, continue with the Sussex Consortium life skills program, go to college or transition to other services, Berry said.
“Believe in yourself as much as we believe in you,” an emotional Berry said. “Know that you are leaving school, yet we are all still here for you. Your best is yet to come.”
