(Photo by Kevin Conners)

Journey House will host a graduation dinner on Monday, May 23, honoring its GED and citizenship graduates from the 2010-2011 academic year. The annual event will take place at the Family Learning Center, 1900 W. Washington St., and will run from 5-7 p.m.

This year, 19 GED graduates and five new United States citizens will be celebrating their achievements. The agency’s citizenship classes were new this year and the result of a grant from the Charles and Bea Benidt Foundation.  Also new to the celebration this year will be two individuals, a mother and daughter, who passed their Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) training offered through Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC).

“This dinner is one of the most meaningful events we host at our Family Learning Center each year,” explained Michele Bria, chief executive officer of Journey House. “These participants work so hard to achieve their goals, in spite of many challenges, and by celebrating their accomplishments we inspire and motivate the students who are still working toward their objectives.”

Established in 1969, Journey House works with the community utilizing a self-help philosophy in order to increase education, reduce unemployment, lower the incidence of crime, strengthen the family structure and revitalize the surrounding neighborhood. The organization, which features nine locations across Milwaukee’s Clarke Square neighborhood and the greater south side, served nearly 4,000 youth and families with its programs in 2010.  For more information about Journey House, visit www.journeyhouse.org.