This year’s graduation is the largest in Palo Alto’s history, with more than 300 students marching to ‘‘Pomp and Circumstance.”

According to Admissions and Records, 649 degrees and certificates will be awarded. Some students will receive multiple degrees, certificates or a combination of both. The total number of students participating in the graduation ceremony is 330.

This year, 129 students will receive an Associate of Applied

Science degree,123 will receive an Associate of Arts degree, 55 will receive an Associate of Science degree, and 23 will receive a Certificate of Completion.

A big reason why Palo Alto is having its largest number of graduates ever is that many of them have completed the Teacher Assistant Program. TA students make up one-third of the graduates.

For many years, teacher’s aides had to have a high school diploma or a GED to work at a high school, middle school or elementary school. But that has now changed.

The Teacher Assistant Program was started by Palo Alto to meet a No Child Left Behind Act requirement. It mandates that in order for someone to be a teacher’s aide, they needed to complete two years of college, pass a local exam or receive a degree in Teacher Assistant/Aide to keep their jobs.

Theresa Garfield, instructor of Interdisciplinary Studies and Teacher Education, came to the TA program in the fall of 2002 to oversee it.

“This May, we’re graduating approximately 150 students. Many of these students had just a GED. They didn’t have a formal education. They were basically forced to go back to school,” said Garfield.

According to Garfield, many of the students graduating are women in their late 30s and 40s. With their newfound love of learning, many of them aren’t just settling for an associate’s degree. Many are striving to get a bachelor’s and then a master’s.

All teachers’ aides work with students in one form or another. They work in daycares through high schools in many school districts in and near the San Antonio area.
Students in Palo Alto’s program attend classes as a cohort or group.

“We take instructors and put them in Harlandale to teach that class. It provides them support for each other, because they were terrified to go back to college. They have developed really good friendships together,” said Garfield.

Last May, there were only 13 TA graduates in comparison to the 150 this May. The 150 graduates are receiving either a degree or a certificate in Teacher’s Assistant/Aide.
The TA program at Palo Alto is the most extensive in the Alamo Community College District and far exceeds the other colleges with an estimated 500 students enrolled in the program, according to Garfield.

Christina Villalobos, a student in the TA program, is going to receive her associate’s degree at the graduation. She has been a teacher’s aide for 20 years. Villalobos is a job coach for South San High School, where she helps students prepare for jobs.

“At the beginning, I was kind of upset because of all the years I had been in, and I thought they would grandfather us in. I had no choice but to take the courses or lose my job. But now I think everything I went through was worth it, because I can get a better job with more pay,” said Villalobos.

Margie Gutierrez is also in the TA program and will be participating in the graduation ceremony.

“I’m glad I’m getting my classes over with and graduating,” said Gutierrez.

Gutierrez is in her tenth year as a teacher’s aide for the South San School District. She works with students who are deaf by interpreting for them in class.

“Working with kids at South San motivates me to finish and graduate,” said Gutierrez, who plans to become a Special Education teacher for deaf kids.

Connie Conchola is another student in the TA program who is graduating. Currently, she is taking care of a student at South San West Campus who has multiple sclerosis. Conchola has been a teacher’s aide for 20 years and is excited about graduating.

Conchola said that at first she was angered because of the requirements set upon her and other fellow teachers’ assistants to meet in order for them to keep their jobs. But now she is happy that she is finished and is going to pursue a career in teaching.

Palo Alto’s Graduation will take place on Thursday, May 5, 7 p.m., at Trinity University’s Laurie Auditorium. You must have a ticket to enter.

For more information concerning the TA Program contact Garfield at 921-5375 or e-mail at tguadian@accd.edu