Celebrating Success: 2025 Welcomes CAP Graduates
Before we gear up for the next school year, Honickman Learning Center Comcast Technology Labs (HLCCTL) is celebrating another successful College Access Program (CAP) Scholarship Ceremony. “My heart is bursting with joy and pride and gratitude,” expresses Donna Bullock, President and CEO. “It’s one of my favorite gatherings of the year on the Project HOME calendar.”
It’s the one time of year when students, staff, and family members fill the auditorium to award the students with scholarships to help advance their educational pathways. It comes through Project HOME’s Teen and College Access Program -- an after school and summer program designed for 9th to 12th grade students who have a vested interest in preparing themselves for college, trade school, or future careers. The goal is to enrich, inspire and educate teens living or going to school in the 19121 or 19132 ZIP codes to achieve success after graduating high school by providing support with academic retention, post-secondary education planning, and career readiness.
This year we celebrated 12 high school graduates, four college and trade school graduates, 14 undergraduate students, and five graduate students. Thirteen generous donors offered scholarships to a total of 31 recipients. Since the CAP Program's inception, alumni have earned 60 post-secondary credentials, including one doctorate, six master's degrees, 50 bachelor's degrees, and six associate degrees.
Carlentz is no stranger to the success of the Teen Program. The recent high school graduate has been an avid member of HLCCTL’s student community for two years and spoke to the crowd about his unforgettable experiences with us. “This program also opened many doors for me,” Carlentz flashes a smile as he looks around the room. “The main takeaway career-wise is finding opportunity. They’ve taught us to do this through relationships with others. They taught us to do this with networking, fairs, communicating, resumes, LinkedIn, and more.”
Next year, Carlentz will be taking his skills to Aon’s apprenticeship program—an opportunity he discovered through HLCCTL’s annual College and Trade Fair. He thanks so many staff members for their unwavering support, guidance, and encouragement throughout the application process.
Though bittersweet, it’s a moment for the group to reflect, remember and rejoice in all of the students’ accomplishments. Liz Bryson, Director of K-12 Education, recalls her first encounters at HLCCTL and finds comfort in watching these young adults discover their passions and find their voices. “Several of them were in my interview and they’re the reason I wanted to work here – the students here were brilliant, interesting, funny, and had something to say.” She says watching their journeys unfold brings indescribable joy because these are the moments that make it all worth it. “I’m just so proud of who you’ve all become, I’m eager to see the goodness you will bring to this world.”
