Graduation tonight will honor three new citizens

Three new US citizens will be honored at tonight's Cape Adult Education and Literacy Program (AEL) Graduation at the Cape Career and Technology Center, 1800 S. Silver Springs Rd., at 7 PM. They are Sasha Starkey and Faduma Fakat, pictured seated, facing camera, third and fourth from left, and Tatyana Lipskaya, not pictured. The photo was taken at a recent Citizenship Class, which is part of the Adult Education and Literacy program, located at 301 N. Clark, a service of Cape Public Schools.

Pictured in the citizenship class are, front row, from the left, Rollene Storms, teacher; Eli Berry, Peru; Sasha Starkey, China; Fadumo Fakat, Somalia; Guadalupe Booker, Mexico; Xochil Guido-Lara, Nicaragua; and Luz Madrigal, Mexico. Standing: Yan Zahner, China; Sean Winstead (volunteer); Xiufang Sang, China; Marina Franchuk, Russia; and Svetlana Franchuk, Russia.

A total of 89 AEL students earned their GED certificate last year. Of those, 27 will be attending graduation this evening along with the program's first ESL (English as a Second Language) student to earn a GED, David Mattingly.

GED, ESL and Citizenship are part of the Cape Girardeau Adult Education and Literacy program. Superintendent of Schools Dr. Jim Welker, as well as Career and Technology Director Rich Payne, will be speaking, and AEL Coordinator Becky Atwood will be conducting this evening's program.