Gov. Gregoire congratulates, encourages graduates

For Immediate Release: June 20, 2008

Gregoire gives commencement address at Edmonds Community College


EDMONDS � Gov. Chris Gregoire tonight encouraged graduates of Edmonds Community College to listen, look past differences and work together to create positive change as they take the next step in life. Gregoire was the keynote speaker at the ceremony.

�During your studies at Edmonds Community College, you were in a unique environment,� the governor said. �Embedded in the college�s values is the simple understanding that you will listen to each other and learn from each other.�

More than 1,700 students earned a diploma. Among them was 22-year-old single parent Paris Loutsis, who was raised in foster care.

�During my pregnancy, I saved every penny I made in my job at a child care center to be able to take a short maternity leave and earn my high school diploma,� Loutsis said. �When my son turned 4 months, I went to Edmonds Community College just to see if there was any chance I could enroll and start school. To my luck, the new quarter was about to start, and I was able to receive financial aid. I was going to start school.�

Loutsis took classes online and in the evenings to earn her degree. She�s now pursuing a career as a preschool teacher, but hopes to earn a master�s degree in social work.

�Now here�s a woman who fully displays that special spirit of Washington, a state where people seem to have a special ability to find a way, no matter the challenge,� Gregoire said. �I�m very pleased that Paris plans to teach in preschool, a truly noble calling. It�s pretty remarkable what a single mom such as Paris has already achieved.�

A champion for community college education, Gregoire has included funding in her budget to help community colleges build and expand programs. She also proposed capping tuition costs. In 2006, Edmonds Community College was one of 10 institutions to offer the state�s Opportunity Grants program, launched by the Legislature and signed into law by the governor. The grants help community colleges set up pilot programs to help low-income adults take advantage of higher education opportunities.

�I�m still amazed at the wonderful resources that were offered to me at Edmonds,� Loutsis said. �I never thought that I, a single parent, former foster child and victim of domestic violence living below the poverty line, could ever overcome the challenges to succeed at school.�

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