20 Graduate After Year in Peer Program

Parents, teachers and students repeatedly wiped tears from their eyes at the Charles Leroy Lowman Special Education Center on Wednesday during a graduation ceremony that ended the first year of a unique peer program.

“You’ve labored long and hard and you’ve done very hard work,” Principal Helen Hartel told the 20 children and adults who received diplomas from the North Hollywood school for the physically and cognitively challenged.

“We’re here to honor you as you begin your life’s journey,” Hartel said. “This is a day in which we should congratulate you and everyone who has helped you get where you are.”

Also in attendance were some students from the medical and science magnet program at Madison Middle School in North Hollywood who participated in the school year at Lowman. A sixth-grade math class and an eighth-grade science class from the magnet school held sessions at Lowman every Monday through Thursday.

The magnet-school children attended classes with the special-needs students in an effort to integrate the two curricula by exchanging information and helping one another learn, said Jayne Lawson, the instructor of the Madison eighth-graders.

“We’re hoping by exposing them to children with special needs that they will find a more unified way of working together,” Lawson said.

In a commencement speech, Anna Asheghian, one of the magnet students in the program, praised the students from Lowman for helping her.

“This program has given me a new meaning in life and my career,” said Anna, 14. “I am very honored that I could be a part of their life.”

In a ceremony after the speech, the graduating students entered the audience of about 70 people and bestowed flower bouquets on parents. Mothers and fathers embraced their children and showered them with kisses as many onlookers became teary.

Graduate Laura Nagy, 13, who will take general-education classes at Madison next year, gave the closing speech, saying just, “Thank you.”