Noah receives his diploma during graduation ceremony.
It’s graduation season! Whether you’re finishing high school or college, we’re sending our warmest congratulations to everyone in our community marking this incredible achievement.
We’re also excited to share Noah’s path to earning his high school diploma at Porterville Developmental Center (PDC).
In May, Noah became the first PDC participant to attend his graduation ceremony in person since the COVID pandemic. He shared with his support staff that he was nervous during the ceremony but also excited to celebrate his accomplishments.
Noah completed the credits needed to earn his high school diploma through Porterville’s Adult School program. Through the program, he explored subjects including science, history, and mathematics through projects that matched his hands-on learning style.
Some of these activities included:
- building a terrarium,
- creating a cell model,
- making an erupting volcano, and
- extracting DNA from a strawberry.
Terrarium and cell model created by Noah as part of his high school diploma classes.
He told staff that he enjoyed attending school to learn new things. He also said that it was important for him to graduate as he wants to get a job in the future.
Today, Noah continues to build new skills through his work at PDC’s Graphic Arts Studio. He is gaining experience in design and customer service. Noah’s curiosity, attention to detail, and willingness to learn have made him a strong addition to the studio, while he explores future career opportunities.
His advice to others pursuing their education is simple: “Try your hardest and don’t give up.”
Congratulations Noah and Class of 2026!