CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Medical Assistant Program offered through the Lake County Office of Education honored its latest graduates at a ceremony last week.

On Thursday, May 9, students, families and staff gathered at the Cornelison Center in Clearlake to celebrate the course completion of 18 students.

Tammy Serpa, education specialist of the Career & College Readiness Department, welcomed the crowd of more than 200 as she thanked Superintendent Brock Falkenberg for his continued support of career technical education in the county.

Dr. Elyse Donald addressed the students as she prompted them to always remember that they do not get to choose their patients and to practice their new trade with empathy.

Following Donald, family nurse practitioner Christine Dalva shared her inspirational message of medicine as a holistic approach to wellness.

Each student was individually recognized by instructors Diedra Lagle and Mandy Robbins for their unique traits including courage, assertiveness and compassion.

Graduates Charlotte Horton, Salutatorian Savanah Vargo and Valedictorian Monica Collins shared their words of wisdom as they each gave a speech expressing their struggles, successes, fears and joys during their journey to complete this comprehensive program.

Whether it was a lack of sleep, overuse of highlighters, medical tragedies or missing family events, student speakers reminded the audience that each student sacrificed something to get to this moment.

Certificates of completion were presented to the graduates by LCOE Coordinator Norma Cromwell, Serpa, Lagle and Robbins.

Although externships, finals and graduation are now behind them, these students still have one more hurdle. Soon they will sit for their national certification exams with the National Center for Competency Testing. Passage of this exam will earn them the right to enter the workforce as Certified Medical Assistants.

Special thanks was offered to Konocti Education Center Principal Jeff Dixon for the use of the facility and being the sound guy for the night, as well as to Walmart of Clearlake for loaning the beautiful plants that were used to decorate the stage.

The Lake County Office of Education is currently taking applications for the next Medical Assistant Program class starting in August.

For more information on the Medical Assistant Program, contact Tammy Serpa at 707-262-8918, Extension 287, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit www.lakecoe.org .