Oxnard Effort : The graduation ceremony proves a hit for welfare parents enrolled in a high school equivalency certificate program.

“Happy graduation,” said the black and gold letters strung along the wall.

“We’ve never done this before,” said Ruth Irussi, glancing across Room 11 of Oxnard Adult School’s East 3rd Street campus. “We didn’t know if people would be interested in coming back.”

But as she spoke on this Tuesday afternoon, the room filled with two dozen mothers, fathers and children. They included 16 of the 80 welfare parents who passed through the Oxnard GAIN program in the past year on the way to earning their state high school equivalency certificates.

Cookies and punch were laid out along one wall, and a box of congratulatory certificates occupied a corner, next to the supply of complimentary GAIN coffee mugs.

“Hopefully, these will sit on your desk at work,” said GAIN supervisor Judi Saso-Pense, kicking off the reception.

Then the parents and children applauded GAIN teachers Carolyn Noseff and Pat Marowsky and took turns receiving their certificates and mugs. Some had already gotten off welfare, and others still had this as their goal. These were some of their plans:

* “I’m going to be attending college real soon, taking nursing classes,” Margaret Hernandez said. “I have a job all lined up, and hopefully I’ll stay there ‘til I retire.”

* “Well, I had a job offer, but the building burned down,” Angelica Robledo said. “But I am going to attend summer school at Ventura College.”

* “Today, I went to apply for police officer training,” Maria Minster said. “I want to do law enforcement work.”

* “Right now, I’m going to Oxnard College--I’m trying to get them to pay for a year,” Rita Hernandez said. “I’m going to be a volunteer for children who are abused and neglected . . . and I’m going into clerical work.”

* “Now I sell Avon,” Luz Rivera said. “And I’m going to attend college. My goal is to work with computers. And I’d like to say thank you to my teachers for all the help.”