Instilling confidence and skills: Nine graduate from Wethersfield PEP program

by Mark Jahne

Editor

There were smiling faces all around at the Wethersfield PEP graduation the evening of May 21 at the Pitkin Community center.

Nine women were there with their families and friends to celebrate completing this 14-week program that is presented under the auspices of UConn Extension. PEP stands for People Empowering People and this was the 10^th graduating class since the town began offering the program.

Graduates, team leaders and Mayor Ken Lesser celebrate the 10^th graduation class in the history of the Wethersfield PEP program.

Kimberly Bobin, the town’s early childhood coordinator, describes PEP as “a community leadership incubator disguised as a parenting and community education program.”

This year’s graduates are Erin Allard, Nita Arapi, Shamirrah Clyburn, Elaine Enyonam Campbell, Marylliam Gagne, Elesia Gibbs, Syndy Mendoza, Martha Ofori-Agyemang and Ashleigh Silva.

Jeanine Berasi is the facilitator of Wethersfield PEP and Jessica Coelho is the program coordinator. The latter is a graduate of the program and now serves as the director of the Wethersfield Early Childhood Collaborative.

Child care was provided every week so that these women could focus on their studies. PEP is also open to men and there have been a few who completed it over the years.

“We are so happy to see so many families here,” Bobin said.

Faye Griffiths-Smith attended on behalf of UConn Extension. She oversees PEP programs throughout the state and is particularly impressed with what this town is doing.

“It functions as a community leadership incubator. I often use what is done here as an example for others,” she said.

“It takes a lot of commitment. I look forward to learning about your community projects,” she added.

“This is exactly what we hoped for and it’s happening here in Wethersfield. People gain a sense of community belonging. Relationship building is a major mechanism of change. Multilingual and multicultural inclusion are defining elements of this program.”

“Every year is completely different,” Berasi said. “Each of you bring your own life’s experience. You are now part of the bigger PEP family.”

She likes that the program promotes making connections with the wider community and enables people to feel that they can become an active part of that wider community. Many of the graduates, like Coelho, have gone on to take various positions in town.

Mayor Ken Lesser asked graduate Syndy Mendoza what community post she might like to take on some day. She told him she would like to become the mayor. He smiled and joked that she could have the job now. WL