The Bhutanese community of Georgia honored 2014 high school graduates amidst a cultural event in Atlanta, Saturday. There were 35 graduates from the Bhutanese community.
They were presented with letter of appreciation and ethnic cultural items as awards, one of the organizers informed Bhutan News Service. The community also honored its both soccer and cricket teams during the event.
Ralph Parker, a longtime community volunteer since the arrival of exiled Bhutanese in GA, also announced a cash reward of US $500 for one of the graduates, who would able to meet his criteria.
The panel discussion on the availability of resources in the community became an important part of the event. Raman Dahal moderated the discussion.
“The immediate feedback about the panel discussion was that such a discussion should be moderated at least a month,” Dahal told BNS. “The need for a common work and play space which would help was also discussed briefly at the panel discussion.”
According to Dahal, several rounds of online discussions are to follow for encouraging social entrepreneurship and community engagement proposals and business plans from the community members.
Meanwhile, application for US $500 one time Pritam memorial scholarship was also announced during the program. The scholarship was set up in the memory of one the community’s much loved scholars, Pritam Adhikari, who died at very young age in 2012.
Principal of Internal School, Dekalb County, Terry Segoris, was chief guest of the program while Mayor of City of Clarkston, Ted Terry, was present as a the chief guest. Yeshey Palzom and a fresh high school graduate, Nirmala Dangol, also spoke on the event.
Palzom shared her experiences of getting an academic degree in the United States, while Dangol spoke on how she struggled despite herself and parents being refugees for several years.
Mani Kala Basnet, wife of late RB Basnet, concluded the event by offering vote of thanks. The community has been felicitating high school graduates since 2011.
(All photographs used in this news report are courtesy of Bishal Gurung to BNS)
