WisdomQuest graduates three

By Karyn Spory, Mt. Pleasant News

When contemplating what the crux of her graduation address was going to be, Deborah Vroom knew it wasn?t going to be personal responsibility because the three students sitting before her exemplified it.

Vroom, who is a teacher at WisdomQuest, said the faculty had hoped there would be 15 students sitting before them Friday night during commencement. However, those students, Vroom said, lost their motivation and did not hold themselves personally responsible. The three before her ? Max Graf, Charles Kahler and Tori McPherson ? did.

?They worked hard and they completed everything asked of them, even though they had some bumps in the road,? she said.

Instead, Vroom wanted to focus on the importance of relationship building.

Vroom said she could see it, day by day, the students beginning to learn from her and each other. In her classroom they would not only tackle the subjects in the curriculum, but venture onto some of life?s hardest questions like is it okay to lie, ever? Or how do you get over the grief of losing someone you?re close to, like a parent?

?We became a family,? she said.

Kahler said it was because of the relationships he built at WisdomQuest that has prepared him to start the journey into adulthood.

Graf said he was not only grateful for the friendships he built at WisdomQuest, but that the staff was able to work with him so he could spend more time with his daughter and strengthen that bond.

The commencement ceremony was held at the Mt. Pleasant Middle School on Friday, May 19.