Wearing the Gown for the First Time Made Me Feel Truly Proud of Myself By Rosie Labasan
I joined VODW's classes wanting to broaden my knowledge, and for a year and a half across ESOL, IT, Mediacom, and Financial Literacy, that is precisely what I did. I arrived with a full mix of emotions, nervous, excited, happy, and curious all at once, ready to see what these classes could offer me.
My IT lessons proved especially memorable, learning practical skills like recovering a Facebook account and mastering the simple but essential task of copying and pasting, small digital skills that open up a much bigger world for someone building comfort with technology for the first time. During my sessions, I felt reconnected with myself, noticed my stress ease, built confidence, and grew more resilient, and every single lesson stayed with me in some way.
That growing confidence became, in my own words, the biggest change in how I see myself. It is a word I return to often, confidence, and it clearly means a great deal to me. My recognition with an award along the way only reinforced what I had already begun to feel.
Graduation day holds a particularly special place in my memory. I felt so happy and so proud of myself, marking the first time in my life I had ever received a gown and worn it. That detail matters to me. Formal recognition of my achievements has been rare in my life, so a moment like this carries weight far beyond the ceremony itself, it is a symbol of being seen, valued, and celebrated. My gratitude to my teachers is warm and genuine, thanks for everything I was able to learn from them.
Looking ahead, I hope to keep helping others and continue learning myself, a hope that reflects the very spirit VODW hopes to spread throughout its community, that growth and generosity go hand in hand. My story, from a nervous first day to a proud graduate wearing a gown for the very first time, captures something universal about what these classes offer, not just skills, but the chance to feel, perhaps for the first time, truly and visibly proud of myself.
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