Let’s go back to 2000. It’s my senior year at Hempfield Area High School. I’m thinking about the next phase of my life, which is likely going to be college. I just don’t know how I’m going to go about it. While I looked at schools like Robert Morris and Point Park, they were going to be a little bit out of my price range. There was also the option of attending WCCC for two years in order to save money. In fact I remember one morning, as I walked the halls, talking to Mr. Clougherty about my future plans and mentioned WCCC. He was all for it and said it was a smart choice.
My OVR counselor and I went over the options one morning. One was to go to WCCC and then maybe transfer to a four year school. Now we had talked about this school in Johnstown that I was going to be overqualified for. But we would have a couple of opions tied to going to school there. I would attend the Hiram G. Andrews Center and get my education there or attend one semester before transferring to the local Community College to get my Associates degree. I learned that students at “the College” could live at HGA while attending classes at the college. That last option was going to be the plan we agreed to.
My mom and I looked at articles about HGA and she thought it was a good idea for me to go to school there. She wanted me to learn to be on my own. Community college and being close to home is a nice start when you’re 18 or 19, but I think we had my best interests in mind here. I would study Accounting (once I transferred to the community college). I would start out in Pre-Baccalaureate classes at HGA to prepare myself for the next step.
May 8 was the day we would take the tour of Hiram G. Andrews Center. I was excited but a little nervous thinking about the next chapter of my life. We got lost looking for the place. I think we wound up in Cambria City at one point looking for the school. We found our way though and signed in as visitors. We met our tour guide in the lobby of the center and we were on our way.
We saw where the dorms were located. One of them I was going to call home later this Summer. There was a dorm dedicated to students with physical handicaps (H-Dorm or the Transitional Living Dorm). We saw the cafeteria next. Students that study Culinary Arts (one of the degree programs) work in the cafeteria along with the staff. Lockers were located on the other side for commuters who attended the school. We saw the gymnasium, which had tinted windows, and across from there was the rooms that students would go to for Occupational or Physical Therapy. From there we found the Student Union (or the Annex as I would affectionately refer to it) and the student stores where Retail students attended classes and worked. Outside was the “Courtyard” where students hung out on their break if the weather allowed for it.
We then turned around and walked back down the hall. We saw the classrooms, three wings each. I was going to the first wing on the right for my classes. At the end they had a room for the Watch and Jewelry Repair students (these majors have since been eliminated). The Medical students also attended classes in this wing. We found where the counseling department was located. There were classrooms at the far end for drafting and building maintenance students. The OVR District office and Seminar Theatre was located here too. Let’s not forget the Driver’s Ed classroom. I’d be seeing a lot of that room and the instructors in the future. I’ll talk about the Rec Hall in a future blog. This was my hangout after classes most days.
Mom and I left the school confident that I was going to do well here and being on my own. It was going to be scary but we knew I’d make the most of my time here. My 18 year old self had butterflies thinking about it though.
We ate lunch at Eat’n Park on Scalp Avenue in Richland. We talked about HGA, my upcoming graduation, and we planned my graduation party. Then we visited my cousin who was living in Johnstown at the time and we talked about the tour. My mom is always close to her family, especially her nieces. She loves being the aunt to all my cousins though. I miss the picnics and parties we used to have, especially in summer.
Can’t believe it’s been 20 years since I graduated high school and went off to college. That’s what’s motivating me to do better for myself now.
Time to close off the blog. While today is the anniversary of my HGA tour, it’s also graduation week for most college students. Of course this year is awash but I remember attended Slippery Rock graduation on this day in 2004. It was a better day than today is. Ed Rendell was the keynote speaker (in 2004 he was governor of Pennsylvania). As you virtually accept your diploma this weekend, I give you the best of luck in the next phase of your life. I attended for a friend of mine who was graduating with her education degree. Of course Slippery Rock is a great school if you want to go for that field.
Remember today and this weekend to live your best life. Be your best you. ROCK out because you are worth it. I put ROCK in all caps for as reason. I’m proud of my green and white Alma mater. Think of the places you’ll go as you graduate and decorate that mortarboard 🎓 with something nice. I know it seems different this year but it’s still graduation 🎓.
Share the love today and every day.
Bye everyone. ❤️ you. X’s and O’s.
Stylish 🍒 