Maplebrook celebrates graduates

AMENIA — The Maplebrook School Class of 2013 had 25 members graduate on Sunday, June 2. Two sets of students graduated at the commencement ceremony — 17 from the school’s high school program and nine from its Center for the Advancement of Post Secondary Studies (CAPS) program, which provides collegiate study, vocational training, independent living instruction and academic remediation. Maplebrook School is an international co-educational boarding/day school for young people with learning disabilities who are 11 to 21 years of age. Like all of the students at Maplebrook, the student body hails from near and far; as close as Salisbury, Conn., and all over the world. This graduating class represented five different foreign countries as well as New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey and Virginia.Mikaela Smith, from Bermuda, and president of the Student Government welcomed attendees as Donna Konkolics, head of school/CEO, officiated over the rest of the ceremony.Unique to a Maplebrook graduation, each senior gave a brief and heart-warming speech upon receiving their diploma. With a collective turn of the tassel, the class of 2013 recessed to be greeted by more than 300 classmates, friends, faculty and family before finishing any last minute packing and moving on to their next journey.Submitted by Lori S. Hale, Maplebrook School assistant head of school development/advancement/alumni.

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