A display celebrating Las Artes' first 2012 graduating class

Eighteen young people are heading to jobs or college after graduating from Pima County’s Las Artes Arts & Education Center this week and passing their GED tests.

Most members of this first graduating class of 2012 came to the program after giving up on traditional high school.

“I never thought I’d be giving a speech about graduating” after leaving school two years ago, one of the students said Wednesday night at a dinner for the graduates and their families and friends.

Tile work by a Las Artest student

The students thanked their families, friends and the Las Artes staff for “always encouraging me to do my best,” “never giving up on me,” and “going out of your way to make my life better.”

A few of the graduates who are parents themselves said they were inspired by their children to successfully complete the program and pursue a better life.

“Now I can be a better role model for my son,” one young woman said.

Las Artes, a program of the Pima County Community Services, Employment and Training Department at 23 W. 27^th St. in South Tucson, combines structured classroom study with community art projects to prepare students for GED testing and to build their employability skills.

Working for eight weeks on a community art project helped the students appreciate and develop the discipline they needed to pursue their dreams.  Studying for up to 24 more weeks helped them prepare for the GED tests.

A Las Artes student's tile work

Las Artes students’ murals, ceramic tiles and other artwork can been seen along South Tucson’s Fourth Avenue and on benches along Sahuarita’s main drag, from Marana’s Town Hall to a red, white and blue sports tribute at East Ajo Way and South Country Club Road.

They will be contributing to the public art that will be part of the Santa Cruz River Park between Silverlake Road and Ajo Way and the University of Arizona Bioscience Park at Kino Parkway and East 36^th Street.

2012 Las Artes graduate Emmanuel Ramirez created this tile art in memory of his sister, a 2011 Las Artest graduate who was killed in a car accident

At the dinner and graduation ceremony this week, the graduates shared their plans to continue their education and pursue careers in health care, welding, fashion design, culinary arts, teaching and engineering.

“We need you to be successful,” Pima County Supervisor Richard Elías, District 5, told the graduates.  “It’s going to make our community stronger.  It’s going to make our community the place we want it to be.”

Las Artes has awarded more than 500 GEDs since it opened more than 15 years ago.

“This isn’t the end,” one of the graduates said.  “It’s just the beginning for us.”

For more information about Las Artes, go to www.pima.gov/CED/CR/LasArtes.html.

The celebrating started days before their commencement ceremony.

So did the gratitude.

On Friday, July 1, students at Pima County’s Las Artes Arts & Education Center will mark the successful completion of their studies and the passage of their general educational development tests at a ceremony at Pima Community College’s Downtown Campus.

On Wednesday, June 29, they had a special dinner at their school at 23 W. 27^th St. in South Tucson, where they thanked their families, their friends and the Las Artes teachers and staff who helped them reach this milestone.

These young people are more familiar than most with the school of hard knocks.  They never thought they’d ever get through high school.

Las Artes, a program of Pima County’s Community Services, Education and Training Department, combines structured classroom study with community art projects to prepare students for GED testing and to build their employability skills.

Working together for eight weeks to create ceramic tiles and murals helped the students appreciate and develop the discipline they needed to pursue their dreams.  Studying for up to 24 more weeks helped them prepare for the GED tests.

On Wednesday evening, several students thanked the person – their uncle, their mom, their boyfriend – who got them up every morning to get to school.

One thanked his grandma for the hugs she gave and the cakes she made to celebrate his achievements, and he thanked his mom – “even though she’s not here.”

Some thanked their own children for inspiring them to seek a better life and hoped that now they would be good examples for that next generation.

“I have learned from my mistakes,” one said.

Many thanked the Las Artes teachers and staff for “never giving up on me,” “pushing me to do my best,” “really caring,” and “giving me a second chance.”

Some of the students shared their aspirations – to attend Pima Community College or the University of Arizona; to be an accountant, an architect, a registered nurse.

One student, who talked about his descent into depression and drug addiction and the help he’d gotten to climb out of those dark holes, asked everyone only to “wish me luck.”

Las Artes has awarded more than 500 GEDs since it opened more than 15 years ago.

“Las Artes has been a long journey,” one young graduate said Wednesday evening, “and it’s only the beginning.”

For more information about Las Artes, contact program manager Elena West at 243-5053 or at Elena.West@pima.gov or go to:

http://www.pima.gov/CED/CR/LasArtes.html

http://www.dol.gov/dol/media/photos/slideshows/20100331-chavez.htm

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An example of the murals and tilework created by Las Artes students
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An example of the murals and tilework created by Las Artes students
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An example of the murals and tilework created by Las Artes students
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A mural of César Chávez created by Las Artes students
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An example of the murals and tilework created by Las Artes students
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An example of the murals and tilework created by Las Artes students
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An example of the murals and tilework created by Las Artes students
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A mural of President Barack Obama created by Las Artes students
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An example of the murals and tilework created by Las Artes students

Their work can be seen along South Tucson’s Fourth Avenue and on benches along Sahuarita’s main drag, from Marana’s Town Hall to a red, white and blue tribute to sports at East Ajo Way and South Country Club Road.

One of their murals – of César Chávez – hangs in the U.S. Department of Labor in Washington, D.C.  Their next assignment: the University of Arizona’s Bioscience Park along Kino Parkway.

But the biggest difference Las Artes makes is in the lives of its students.

The Pima County program housed at 23 W. 27^th St. in South Tucson will be awarding GEDs to its latest group of graduates on Friday, July 1, in a 10 a.m. ceremony at Pima Community College’s Downtown Campus.

Traditional school failed to reach these young people.  Some are homeless.  Some are on probation.  Some have been abused.  Some have children of their own.  Most are high school dropouts.

They get help with those challenges.  And the eight weeks they spend working on a community art project teaches them the discipline they need for school, work and life.  They learn to be on time, show up every day, follow directions and do their best.

They then spend up to 24 weeks studying academic subjects at the center.  Of those who make it to the final eight-week GED unit, 98 percent pass the general educational development tests.

The program is part of the county’s Community Services, Education and Training Department, which helps the students find jobs and financial assistance for job training or additional education through its One Stop employment assistance program.

Las Artes has awarded more than 500 GEDs since it opened more than 15 years ago.

For more information, go to:

http://www.pima.gov/CED/CR/LasArtes.html

http://www.dol.gov/dol/media/photos/slideshows/20100331-chavez.htm