Cerritos College's Teacher TRAC Program Celebrates 47 New Graduates

Cerritos College's Teacher TRAC (Training Academy) program honored 47 Teacher TRAC program students Thursday, May 11 as they moved closer to gaining a bachelor’s degree and teaching credential from California State University Long Beach.

Honoring Teacher TRAC students at the recognition ceremony were the Cerritos College Board of Trustees, senior members of Cerritos College administration, Sue Parsons, director of Teacher TRAC, Teacher TRAC faculty members and friends and family of the students. Each graduate received a certificate and a commemorative golden apple in recognition of their completion of the first leg of the Teacher TRAC program.

Graduates from the program included Christian Aguilera, Erika Allen, Lanny Armas, Michelle Barron, Megan Brown, Angie Carrola, Emerald Chang, Otto Cifuentes, Maria Cisneros, Alpha De Asis, Erica Esparza, Jenna Generis, Edwin Hernandez, Philip Holtzendorff, Harold Huang, Tiffany Jenks, Cristina Jiménez, Diana Jiménez, Michelle Knight, Elizabeth Langsdale, Amber Madrigal, Marisa Martinez, Susan Massey, Myrna Mendez, Yuritzi Mendoza, Tina Miller, Patricia Mora, Eda Munoz, Karla Orellana, Anna Ortiz, Abel Ponce, Heather Roa, Ashlye Roberts, Chelsey Rollena, Emily Sabino, Arlin Sosa, Sara Stephan, Jonathan Stewart, Nicole Tarver, Dolores Tinajero, Eustolia Vaca, Jeanette Valenzuela, Carlos Vargas, Nathan Yokum, My Yuk Wei, Marcela Zavala and Wendy Zurita.

Scholarship awards, including the Teacher TRAC Eruditio Scholarships, the Fred Gaskin Scholarship and the Esther Espinoza Scholarship, were awarded to Teacher TRAC students at the recognition program.

Cerritos College’s Teacher TRAC program offers many services, programs, and pathways for students interested in teaching K-12. For students interested in becoming an elementary school teacher, Teacher TRAC's flagship program is a partnership with California State University Long Beach. As a student in the integrated, standards-based Teacher TRAC / CSULB program, students can earn their bachelor's degree and multiple subject teaching credentials and complete their student teaching within four years. For more information about the program, visit www.teachertrac.com.

Cerritos College celebrates the 2005-06 school year as its 50th anniversary in serving as a comprehensive community college for southeastern Los Angeles County. Communities within the college’s district include Artesia, Bellflower, Cerritos, Downey, Hawaiian Gardens, La Mirada, Norwalk, and portions of Bell Gardens, Lakewood, Long Beach, Santa Fe Springs and Southgate. Cerritos College offers degrees and certificates in more than 180 areas of study in nine divisions. Annually, more than 1,200 students successfully complete their course of studies, and enrollment currently surpasses 20,000 students. Visit Cerritos College online at www.cerritos.edu, and view a celebratory site honoring the college’s 50 years of tradition, honor and values at www.cerritos.edu/50.