Pathways to Success Celebrates Class of 2025 Graduation

Ann Arbor Adult Education graduates were also honored

The 2025 Classes of Pathways to Success and Ann Arbor Adult Education crossed the stage at Pease Auditorium the evening of Tuesday, June 3. Dean Shaenu Micou presided over the commencement, which began with the traditional processional accompanied by “Pomp and Circumstance.”

The graduation highlighted the diverse talents and accomplishments of the senior class through multiple speaking opportunities. Ti’Nyah Harrison, Nat Nolan, and Mikira Bennett-Cole served as senior class speakers, while Mikeal Henton and Goiteseone Annie Nkane also addressed their fellow graduates during a second speaking segment.

Mikira Bennett-Cole welcomed the Class of 2025 to their graduation ceremony, celebrating the journey that brought them to this milestone. She reflected on the significance of their achievement, noting that it took “Four years, 45 months, and 1,374 days” to reach this stage, emphasizing that every moment mattered in shaping their experience.

Her first lesson centered on authenticity and self-acceptance. Drawing from childhood experiences at Lawton Elementary, where students were encouraged to be leaders, Mikira shared how her parents instilled confidence in her identity. Despite facing doubt from others and herself during high school, she found strength in the belief that “God is within me, and I will not fail.” She emphasized that being yourself, especially during difficult times, represents one of the most powerful choices you can make.

The second lesson focused on remaining open to life’s experiences. Through various jobs, Mikira discovered that people fundamentally want to feel welcomed and seen, which aligned with her inclination to connect with others. These experiences helped her recognize her outgoing nature and desire to help people, leading to her career goal of becoming a travel nurse.

Her third and most profound lesson emerged from personal tragedy. During her sophomore year, Mikira lost a close friend, Adriana Davidson, who would have graduated from Pioneer High School. She described Adriana as more than a friend—someone with whom she shared “dreams, fears, future plans, and silly crushes.” The loss initially left her unable to focus or try, but eventually led to an important realization about life’s fragility. She came to understand that “Life is not promised. And if we’re still here, we owe it to ourselves to live fully.”

Mikira acknowledged the bittersweet nature of graduation day, recognizing both the achievement and the end of familiar routines. She noted how everything would change—no more casual interactions in hallways, no more group chats about lunch plans, no more predictable daily encounters with the same people. While acknowledging they were “stepping into the unknown,” she expressed confidence in their readiness for what lies ahead.

In closing, Mikira urged her classmates to remember three essential principles: be yourself, stay open to life’s experiences, and never take moments for granted. She reminded them that “you never know how your story will go” and emphasized that graduation day represented not an ending, but rather “only the beginning” of their journeys ahead.

Ti’Nyah Harrison opened her graduation speech by sharing that the day felt blessed and filled with mixed emotions as she celebrated this milestone. For her, graduation represented more than just completing school—it was about proving people wrong, including herself. Growing up with a mother who hadn’t been able to get her diploma due to early responsibilities, Ti’Nyah faced similar doubts about her own path. With her father absent from her life, she often felt torn between staying home to help her mother and pursuing her education, even though her mother encouraged her to stay in school.

The journey to graduation became about fulfilling important promises to the people who believed in her. When Ti’Nyah first met Colleen Creal, the school’s new counselor, she was told, “You’re going to graduate, but you need to get to work.” This led to a promise that would drive her forward. She also made commitments to her mother, who believed she could achieve what she herself hadn’t been able to do, and to her father, who wanted to see her walk across the stage.

She said her family played a crucial role in keeping her motivated throughout the challenges. Her siblings, despite sometimes getting on her nerves, were the ones who encouraged her to get up for school on difficult days.
Ti’Nyah’s perspective on her future transformed during her high school years. Initially, she had planned to stay home and help her mother, feeling responsible as someone who lacked a father figure. However, she found a new mentor who showed her different possibilities for success. This person, who ran his own business and pursued creative projects, demonstrated that there were many paths to achievement. While she still wanted to support her mother, Ti’Nyah began developing her own dreams and ambitions.

Looking ahead, Ti’Nyah expressed excitement about the opportunities her diploma would provide. Remembering her mother’s words that “having a diploma gives you more options,” she said she will use her education to reach her goals. She concluded by thanking everyone who had been part of her journey—family, friends, teachers, and all who believed in her—acknowledging that their support had made the difference in helping her believe in herself.

Natt Nolan gave a powerful speech about his experience with Ann Arbor Adult Education.

At 26 years old, Nat Nolan recently achieved what he was supposed to accomplish eight years earlier. “I was supposed to graduate eight years ago,” he told the audience at his Ann Arbor Adult Education graduation ceremony. “I think graduating high school is in everybody’s life plans… but I just never took the initiative to make those plans, if I’m being honest.” What finally motivated him to complete his education was an unexpected detour that would change his life’s trajectory.

Late last year, Nolan spent 77 days in Washington County Jail—an experience he describes as “scary” and one he “don’t recommend.” However, this challenging period became the catalyst for completing his education. Through a partnership between Ann Arbor Public Schools’ Adult Education Program and the Washington County Jail, Nolan met two educators who would help him realize he was closer to graduation than he thought.

The path to completion required intense dedication within a tight timeframe. Nolan needed only two credits—four courses—to be completed in 77 days. “I felt like I was on such a time crunch, but believe it or not, you really realize how much time you have when you’re sitting in a cell,” he reflected. He spent nights writing essays and finishing assignments, sometimes calling his mother for research help when he couldn’t access information independently.

Standing at graduation, Nolan expressed a profound moment of achievement and closure. “I’m here in a cap and gown for the first time, and I finally… I finally got to tell my mom that her son graduated, and I’m finally closing this chapter of my life,” he said with evident emotion. The experience represented both discomfort and transformation—”the most uncomfortable experience of my life, but also the most transformative experience ever.”

“When you have the right people supporting you, all of a sudden it’s never too late for anything,” he told his fellow graduates. He credited his success to “the people that never stop believing in me,” acknowledging that what seemed like a missed opportunity became possible through the right support system and timing.

Nolan concluded with a philosophy that guided his journey: “I believe life is a never-ending cycle of chances to just start over again. You just have to take them when the opportunity presents itself.”

Academic excellence took center stage during the presentation of scholarships and awards, overseen by Colleen Creal and Denise Eaddy-Richardson.

The following scholarships were awarded: Strive: Treyvon Knox, Killian Crowe, and Messiah Scott. ZingPath: Re’Mya Brown and Emma Herrick.

The Dean’s Distinguished Honors Award, recognizing exceptional student achievemen,t was awarded to three students this year, Micou noted, adding that he “couldn’t resist.” The winners were: Re’Mya Brown, Jayden Bullard, and Mikeal Henton.

Torchio Feaster, President of the Board of Education, offered acknowledgment remarks, while Superintendent of Schools Jazz Parks formally presented the Class of 2025 to the community. The ceremony also featured a special performance and highlighted the school’s Actors Studio at Pathways (ASAP) program.