Lone Star College–CyFair recently celebrated the inaugural graduates of the Program for Adult Learning Skills (P.A.L.S.) with an achievement ceremony featuring guest speaker James Williams, Jr. who advise students to never give up.

The P.A.L.S. program focuses on enriching the needs of motivated disabled adults by offering them a college atmosphere where they are able to further their education, gain independence, and transition into the workforce. 

Graduates Caroline Mendoza, Kayla McCormick, Rebekah Castro and Jacqueline Forsthoff earned an Office Skills Certificate through P.A.L.S.  Now the graduates plan to pursue employment in the community. 

Three P.A.L.S. Certificates are available with coursework designed to provide successful opportunities for learning and gaining skills that can be utilized for employment. The program includes an on-campus internship for hands-on training.

In addition to earning a certificate, students can join the P.A.L.S. Student Club, which promotes community citizenship on and off-campus. Students are involved in helping the community, participating in local events and educating others about disability awareness.

This year, club members not only participated in several campus events, they learned to use the e-slate voting machines, entered the International Education Conference day poster contest, organized a donation collection event for the Special Pals Animal Adoption Center, and won second-place in the Cy-Fest community garden scarecrow contest. For club information, contact advisor Denise Capela at 281-290-3925.

The next P.A.L.S. orientation information session is set for Monday, June 11 from 6-7pm in the Learning Commons, conference room 247G. For program or student club information, go to cyfair.lonestar.edu/goto/PALS or call Noemi Jenkins at 281-290-5226.