We gathered to celebrate 31 graduates of the LearningQuest High School Equivalency (HSE) program at the Fall Graduation & Awards Night on October 28, 2021. Over 150 guests attended the ceremony to honor the achievements of grads at the Martin G. Peterson Event Center in Downtown Modesto. Awards were given to three students recognized for their dedication to earning their diploma and to an outstanding tutor in the Adult Literacy tutoring program.
Rosario Banuelos was awarded for ‘The Most Improved”
for extraordinary improvement in skills needed for a diploma as the result of hard work, perseverance, commitment, and focus.
Shawn Elliott was awarded for “Greatest Achievement”
for the overall extraordinary effort in pursuing education, achieving goals, and inspiring future graduates.
Onorina Gonzalez was awarded for ‘Best Effort”
for extraordinary improvement in skills needed for a diploma as the result of hard work, perseverance, commitment, and focus.
John Arnold was awarded for “Tutor of Excellence”
for extraordinary acts of kindness, patience, compassion, and selflessness while helping others pursue and achieve educational goals.
Our Valedictorian and Student speaker, Jimmie Pridmore, shared his touching story of overcoming struggles and finding motivation even in the darkest moments.
“We all come from different backgrounds and have all had different experiences…But I finally have the chance to say ‘I did it!’ and you all did it too! So you should all be proud of yourselves.”
Congratulations to the 2021 Fall Graduates:
Jaklin Amirikhosrowabadi
Richard Baldwin
Rosario Bañuelos +
Elisa Barba
Dustin A. Barnes *
Juana Cabrera
Denim Collins
Alejandra Vanessa Cruz Nuño
Shawn Elliott +
Nicolas Garibay II
Onorina Gonzalez +
Maria Fernanda Hernandez *
Dakota Lawson
Dulce Nayeli Lopez Aguilera
Corrine M. Loya
Erika Maldonado Corona *
David Manley *
Alliyah Melena
Elizabeth Mendoza
Christopher Morales
Amelia Muñoz Largaespalda
Benjamin Nuñez
Maria Teresa Nuño
Rosalba Ochoa *
Alejandro Ontiveros *
Maria del Carmen Oregon Gonzalez *
Angel Oregon-Gonzalez
Ruth Orozco Mora
Maria de los Angeles Peña Garcia
Jimmie D. Pridmore *~
Karina Juana Reategui
Mariah Sanchez
Lizeth Sosa-Gonzalez
Sharifa Suwaid
Kimokeo M. Swayne *
Leah Tacardon
Vanesa Tovar Carranza
Eliud Enrique Vega Garcia *
Orlanda Yaneth Vigil Becerra
Luz Del Carmen Vilchis
* Honors
~ Valedictorian
+ Award Winner
LearningQuest would like to thank all the dignitaries that participated in this special event, including Jenny Kenoyer from The Modesto City Council, Jacob Faulder from The Office of Senator Andreas Borgeas, Melissa Santos from The Office of Congressman Josh Harder, and Assistant Sheriff LaBarbera from The Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office.
To the Graduates, LearningQuest wishes you all the best for your future, and can’t wait to see all you become!