On a November afternoon in Victoria, the Dave Dunnet Community Theatre gradually filled with graduates, instructors, staff, and families, all gathered to share in a moment that had been building across months of learning at Cambria.
There was a familiar ease in the room as people found their seats—graduates greeting instructors they knew well, classmates reconnecting, staff moving through the space with quiet purpose. Before the ceremony formally began, the atmosphere already reflected what many students experience at Cambria every day.
The ceremony opened simply and without fanfare. Chief Operating Officer Dylan Matter served as Master of Ceremony, welcoming graduates and guests and guiding the evening forward. The remarks set a reflective tone, acknowledging the significance of the moment without overstatement, and giving space for the night to unfold at its own pace.
A highlight of the evening was the valedictory address delivered by Pielle Angelie Carino, a graduate of the Health Care Assistant Diploma program. Speaking to her peers, Carino reflected on the experience of moving through a program together—one shaped by learning, persistence, and the shared understanding that progress is rarely linear. It was a moment of recognition that resonated quietly across the room.
As graduates were called to the stage, the ceremony settled into a steady rhythm. Names were announced, applause followed, and each student stepped forward to receive their diploma. In the audience were instructors who had seen skills develop over time, along with family members witnessing the culmination of work often carried out behind the scenes.
Between these formal moments were smaller, telling details. A graduate pausing briefly before stepping forward. A quick glance toward the audience. A shared smile between classmates seated side by side. These quiet gestures echoed the day-to-day reality of Cambria life—learning that happens incrementally, supported by people who come to know one another well.
For current students in attendance, the ceremony offered a tangible glimpse of what lies ahead. The graduates on stage were not abstract success stories, but familiar faces—people who had once sat in the same classrooms and navigated the same demands. For families and friends, the evening made visible the commitment and consistency required to reach this point.
As the final names were read and the ceremony concluded, the theatre didn’t empty right away. Graduates lingered to take photos, exchange congratulations, and mark the close of a chapter that had become part of their everyday lives. The night felt less like an ending and more like a natural pause before what comes next.
Graduates and families who would like to revisit the evening are invited to view the photo album from the ceremony. Graduates should have received a password to access the gallery and share these moments with those who couldn’t attend.