ASTORIA – HANAC (Hellenic American Neighborhood Action Committee) held its High School Equivalency (HSE)/GED Graduation Ceremony at the George Douris Tower on June 14. Mrs. Evangeline Douris, Founder and Chairman of HANAC and Mr. John Kaiteris, the CEO of HANAC were in attendance as well as other HANAC staff, to offer their best wishes to the graduates.

Evthoxia Panos- HANAC’s Director of Adult Literacy and Legal Immigration Services spoke to The National Herald about the event. She said, “We had 32 Graduates that night and another 10 who couldn’t be there. There has not been a HANAC HSE graduation for at least 5 years. It was a lovely event and very moving having the graduates there with their family and friends who were there to support them for this huge milestone in their lives and this major accomplishment of receiving their High School Equivalency Diploma in order to obtain better jobs in the future and perhaps go on to college to further their studies.”

Assistants to the Director- Athena Beltecas and Lucy O’Brien, and HSE Teachers- Patrick Brennan, Marco Castillo, Mark Jamison, Dora Korewa, Yasmine Lancaster, and Pedro Raza were also present.

The Graduates:

Schantel Allen

Sandra Arqueta

Terrence Booth

Sharon Clarke

Ismaila Colley

Bernardita L. Cuervo

Beatriz De Jesus

Lorenzo De Jesus

Jaemella C. Duncan

Callin Edwin

Crystal Epps

Christopher Espada

Jessica Figueroa

Lucia Gaudino

Adina Hojda

Elvis Issaka

Komi Johnson

Jhonneidy Lora

Twanda Mack

Joshua Martinez

Maria Mayancela

Veronica Medina

Letitia Munroe

Nikola Ntoni

Santiago Pardo Reyes

Juan C.Perez

Jah- Keda Phillips

Crystal Rountree

Anthony Sorey

Natasha Vaughn

Jesse Wynne

Marcus Wynne

The ESL student performers were Gabriela Marcillo and Olga Panteli.

We wish them all the best for the future.

HANAC, Inc. – originally founded by George Douris as the Hellenic American Neighborhood Action Committee – is a New York City based multi-faceted social services organization with administrative offices at 27-40 Hoyt Avenue S in Astoria and fiscal office at 1250 Broadway in New York City. The organization was founded in 1972 to serve the needs of vulnerable populations throughout New York City.

HANAC’s organization mission is:

To develop, implement and administer the operation of service programs for the betterment of the community

To provide these services to any and all who are needy without discrimination as to race, creed, national origin or other defining characteristic

And to work closely with other providers, the city, state and federal governments for the betterment of the community.

More information about HANAC programs is available online at www.hanac.org.

Mrs. Evangeline Douris, Founder and Chairman of HANAC, speaking at the High School Equivalency/ GED Graduation Ceremony. Photo: Island Photographers

Mrs. Evangeline Douris, Founder and Chairman of HANAC, speaking at the High School Equivalency/ GED Graduation Ceremony. Photo: Island Photographers

Mr. John Kaiteris, CEO of HANAC, speaking at the High School Equivalency/ GED Graduation Ceremony. Photo: Island Photographers

Mr. John Kaiteris, CEO of HANAC, speaking at the High School Equivalency/ GED Graduation Ceremony. Photo: Island Photographers

Olga Panteli, ESL student performer, at the HANAC High School Equivalency/ GED Graduation Ceremony. Photo: Island Photographers