News Photo by Zipporah Abarca Students clap with excitement as their fellow classmate, Marrissia A. Medrano receives an academic achievement award.

ALPENA — Alternative Choices for Education Successes (ACES) Academy alumni, friends and family gathered on Wednesday night for the school’s 2023 graduation ceremony.

The ceremony took place inside Art In The Loft, with lights strung from the ceiling and a galore of purple iced homemade cookies to enjoy afterwards. Supporters packed into the gallery room, which contained pieces of art from a few of the students graduating.

Director Matt Poli started the night off with his own personal gratitude for being able to get to know the 12 students that sat behind him waiting in anticipation to graduate.

“…Each one of those (graduating students), they climbed a milestone,” Poli said. “Graduation is not easy. They started their high school career, as we all know, in a world that was upside down and inside out.”

Poli noted how the academy is already an online program and the pandemic didn’t help this at all. He has been able to watch these students interact with one another in the small gaps they’ve been able to with being online. Poli said it is one of the “neat things about it (the academy)” seeing students all here for the same reason.

Poli invited the crowd to commend the students to recognize their hard work, and after doing so a loud applause was evident with every audience member clapping their hands.

Before guest speakers took the stage, Poli reflected on notecards he was given by students about what makes ACES different. All of them were the same he said, the academy just worked for the students.

“All of us grew up in a different world of schooling and education, and they (students) really have the opportunity to create their own pathways,” Poli said.

The director concluded his speech in recognizing all the students graduating had certainly found their pathways.

Two alumni of the academy also spoke of their experience as students.

Marissa Zinke, a 2016 graduate, spoke of her own struggles with staying in school and eventually putting her trust into ACES academy where she found her footing. Taegan Eggleston, a 2019 graduate, talked about her appreciation for some of the staff in helping guide her through her education and finding her passion.

Two student speakers, Juliane Richards and Cirrae Gagnon, rose from their seats on stage to say a few words as well.

“There is no one size fits all for learning,” Gagnon said. “But I am beyond blessed to call ACES my school, although it is more like a second home.”

“Being able to act independently, work at my own pace, vary my school hours, and hold a job has helped me tremendously,” Richards said. “ACES has been my best choice and is part of my life and always will be.”

The crowd embraced the two young women’s speeches with an applause as the ceremony transitioned to handing out awards to students.

After awards were given, Poli took the stage once more and looked at the students sitting behind him.

“You ready? Let’s get you graduated,” he said.

Because the class consisted of 12 students, Poli invited them to introduce themselves at the podium and say where their pathway will lead in the future. Students filed through and discussed their visions and hopes consisting of careers in the horse industry, a photography business, welding and medical school. Several of the students said they will be attending college as well as those that are still figuring it out.

Handshakes, hugs, laughter and photos were shared as the night concluded. The 2023 class gathered for a group photo op and smiled at the many phones that were held by their loved ones to capture the memorable moment.