For many teenagers, high school is a full workload, including AP courses, afterschool programs and at least an attempt to maintain a social life. It’s a lot to juggle. And for this year’s graduates of the Cranston Area Career and Technical Center – who also graduated from Cranston High School East or West – adding a CTE program to their academic creds is the cherry on top.

On Wednesday, June 4, the Cranston Public Schools system graduated its largest class to date from Cranston’s CTE program. Among the 303 graduates are students from nine cities and towns, including some students who attended Cranston East or West from out of district.

During the ceremony, the presentation of the colors was performed by the Cranston High School Army Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps color guard and the national anthem was performed by graduating CTE members of select choirs from both Cranston High School East and West.

Zachary Farrell, executive director of secondary programs for Cranston Public Schools, said the mix of green- and red-robed graduates – green for East, red for West – represented Cranston’s unified approach to CTE education.

“[It] is indicative of the fact that our schools are the glue that binds our community together,” Farrell said.

He praised the graduates for their hard work in completing the CTE program as well as their standard academic requirements for a high school diploma.

Collectively, Farrell said, the graduating class completed 24,240 hours of work-based learning, earned hundreds of college credits and collected 9 gold, 12 silver and 8 bronze medals at the Rhode Island SkillsUSA competition.

“Each and every one of you should feel a sense of great accomplishment,” Farrell said to the graduates at their commencement ceremony. “And I can tell you that every one of us up here on stage and seated behind you is very, very proud of all of you.”