LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION congratulating Tichina Parchment upon the occa-
sion of her designation for special recognition as the recipient of a
New York Association for Continuing/Community Education 2012 Student of
the Year Award

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to honor individuals
whose character and achievements exemplify the ideals and values cher-
ished by the great State of New York; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-
standing traditions, this Legislative Body is proud to congratulate
Tichina Parchment upon the occasion of her designation for special
recognition as recipient of a New York Association for
Continuing/Community Education (NYACCE) 2012 Student of the Year Award;
she will be honored at NYACCE's 29th Annual Student Awards and Legisla-
tive Event on March 13 and 14, 2012; and
WHEREAS, NYACCE represents adult education professionals from across
New York State; one of its primary missions is to maintain and expand
education and training opportunities for undereducated adults throughout
the State; and
WHEREAS, NYACCE strives to ensure that the opportunities and successes
afforded these students and thousands of others continue to be avail-
able, and that additional adults in need of these services continue to
be served without barriers; it is well understood that individuals who
continue their education have a better chance of achieving better
employment and a superior quality of life; and
WHEREAS, Tichina Parchment was nominated for a 2012 Student of the
Year Award by the Dutchess BOCES; and
WHEREAS, A patient and polite young woman, Tichina Parchment has many
interests including reading, singing, helping others, and learning; she
demonstrated unique qualities and attributes as she pursued, and
achieved, her academic goals at Dutchess BOCES; and
WHEREAS, Despite distinct challenges and obstacles, she distinguished
herself by earning her nursing assistant and high school equivalency
diplomas in a remarkably brief amount of time; and
WHEREAS, Tichina Parchment moved to the United States from Jamaica in
September 2010; although nervous about the move, she found the strength
to essentially start all over in a new country; as she reached out to
her new community, establishing friends and becoming a valued member of
a local church, she also set new career goals; and
WHEREAS, She had completed high school in Jamaica and had been working
there as a nursing assistant and, knowing that she would need to further
her education to gain similar employment, she enrolled in the Dutchess
BOCES GED program in September 2010, the very month she moved; and
WHEREAS, As a Dutchess BOCES student, Tichina Parchment at all times
conducted herself with dignity and grace; while dealing with intense
homesickness for Jamaica and distant family members, she tenaciously
applied herself to her studies; she attended classes faithfully, even
though it required getting up quite early to catch a bus to school; and
WHEREAS, In class she was prepared and determined, and practically
demanded constructive criticism; if she didn't understand a math prob-
lem, she didn't set it aside until she'd mastered it; if suggestions
were made about how she might improve an essay, she rewrote it; and
WHEREAS, Tichina Parchment's desire to improve her skills was sincere
and humbling; her determined attitude elevated the efforts of her teach-
er and, ultimately, those of the entire class as well; through her hard
work, Tichina raised her reading and math scores from the sixth grade
level to the tenth grade level and, as she did so, she was always very

generous in the classroom, volunteering to demonstrate work on the board
and often helping and encouraging her classmates; and
WHEREAS, On February 9, 2011, Tichina Parchment entered the Nursing
Assistant program at Dutchess BOCES; for weeks she attended classes in
the afternoons while continuing her GED classes three mornings a week;
she kept up with the intensive coursework of the Nursing Assistant
program without allowing her performance in the GED class to falter; and
WHEREAS, Her attendance remained constant, her attitude gracious, and
her desire to earn her high school equivalency diploma, uncompromised
and, even when classes were temporarily relocated while awaiting a move
to new facilities, Tichina Parchment found a way to get to all of her
classes; and, as an indication of the esteem in which she was held, when
she graduated from the Nursing Assistant program and earned her certif-
ication, her GED classmates happily threw a party in her honor; and
WHEREAS, Having achieved one goal, Tichina Parchment focused on the
next, preparing to take the GED examination; in the months leading up to
her test, she took as many as three predictor tests; if a test indicated
she needed more work, she just resolved to improve; each time she took a
predictor test her scores rose and finally, in August 2011 she earned
her High School Equivalency diploma; and
WHEREAS, In August 2011, Tichina Parchment proudly entered employment
in her field; she is currently a Nursing Assistant at the Hudson Valley
Rehabilitation Center in Highland, New York and, with her GED now in
hand, she plans to continue her studies and enter an LPN program; and
WHEREAS, In less than one year, even as she was adjusting to a new
country, with the support of her family, her exemplary work ethic, and
her sheer determination, Tichina Parchment achieved several noteworthy
accomplishments; in that relatively brief space of time she raised her
reading and math scores from the middle school to the high school level
and earned her High School Equivalency diploma and her Nursing Assistant
Certification; and
WHEREAS, While there are many remarkable stories in the world of adult
education, few are as impressive as that of Tichina Parchment, who is an
inspiration to us all; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
congratulate Tichina Parchment upon her designation as recipient of a
New York Association for Continuing/Community Education 2012 Student of
the Year Award; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to Tichina Parchment.