Migrant and seasonal workers who earned general education diplomas through the University of Colorado at Boulder聮s High School Equivalency Program at Alamosa will graduate June 11.
About 250 people are expected to attend the ceremony, which starts at 7 p.m. at Ortega Middle School, Alamosa.
Families, friends and other supporters will be there to see 60 students ranging in age from 16 to 50 receive their high school equivalency diplomas. Fifteen of them passed their exams in both English and Spanish.
Since 1983, CU-Boulder has coordinated the nation聮s largest High School Equivalency Program by operating centers in La Junta, Alamosa and Brighton/Fort Lupton. Close to 14,000 Colorado students have earned diplomas in the program聮s 16-year history.
The program is one of 23 in the country funded by the Office of Migrant Education, a part of the U.S. Department of Education.
"We see it as part of our outreach to the community," said Leonard Baca, director of the BUENO Center for Multicultural Education in the CU-Boulder School of Education.
The program also provides students with career counseling, vocational skills training and help in enrolling in colleges, universities and vocational trade schools. It also provides CU-Boulder education students with exposure to some of Colorado聮s educational needs, Baca said.
For more information call HEP director Ray Archibeque in CU-Boulder聮s BUENO Center at 303-492-1359, Joseph Martinez 719-589-1023 or Frank Nelson in the CU-Boulder Office of News Services 303-492-3113.