Passing the Torch

“Today, we gather to recognize a group of people who made a powerful choice—a choice to grow, to expand the mind, and to step into something new. We did this by joining the Odyssey Project.”

Graduations are kaleidoscopic: many students, families, and futures, each with their own unique stories, but all a part of a growing family of lifelong learners who made the same choice. When we gathered this May to celebrate the newest class of graduates from the Odyssey Project/el Proyecto Odisea, surrounded by the friends, family, and teachers who helped them reach this milestone, student speaker Stephanie Woodson helped to set the tone for the celebration by reminding us of that purposeful choice.

“Through this journey, we became a village,” Stephanie shared. “Though we come from different backgrounds, at 6 p.m., we became one. One community. One purpose. Seeking understanding for our common good.”

Each student of the Odyssey Project/el Proyecto Odisea chose to take a risk, return to their education, and expand their worlds by studying the humanities. Through reading, research, creative writing, and critical thinking, students shared that they reconnected  with their own stories and the histories that helped shape them. Through the support of an active community of teachers and peers, they embraced the power of a humanities education.

“Hoy afirmo que las humanidades han impactado mi forma de compartir, pensar y expresarme, áreas que sentía limitadas,” shared second-year Odisea graduate Elideth Hernandez. “Odisea representa una valiosa oportunidad para mejorar mi desarrollo académico, y la recomiendo ampliamente para todas las personas que quieran ser parte de esta gran familia.”

“It’s been an act of resistance,” said Northside student speaker Sonica Cielo Ruiz, “and at a time like this, to love oneself, to dare to dream, to reach and succeed as we are all doing today is a beautiful act of resistance.”

This experience resounded throughout the ceremony. Many students shared that the personal strength they gained through their classes had a profound impact and empowered them to reach for more, no matter the obstacles. This dedication is celebrated every year with the EJ Hendricks Alumni Award. The award honors EJ Hendricks, one of the first graduates of The Odyssey Project and a retired employee of Illinois Humanities, by recognizing a recent alum who has exemplified their dedication to lifelong learning and strengthening their community. This year, that honor was awarded to Odyssey alum Sylvia Fedrick, a new graduate of NEIU who will begin graduate school this fall.

“Sylvia has not slowed down, stopped, or abandoned her education,” said site coordinator Wanda Obazee as she bestowed the award. “Many times, she has come back to Odyssey and championed new Odyssey students, to let them know that they got this and that they can also be the success story that is Sylvia Fedrick.”

Odyssey Graduation is full of so many stories like Sylvia’s, and every year we are honored to shine a spotlight on them. Director of Education Rebecca Amato, who manages the Odyssey Project, began the afternoon with this reminder: “It’s so important – especially in times like these -- that we continue to speak the truth of our individual and collective experiences even when the pressure to silence ourselves is so strong.”

Each student who walks across the graduation stage has taken the often difficult step to prioritize themselves, their education, and their voice. Through their commitment—to showing up, asking questions, speaking their truths, and challenging each other—they have ignited a lifelong love for learning that they can’t help but share with their friends, families, and communities. It always inspires us to see them wholeheartedly embrace their power and want to share it with others.

Before students rose to accept their sashes and diplomas with pride, Odyssey graduate Sha’Bora Jefferson closed the celebration with an original poem that encapsulates the Odyssey spirit. Take a moment to read her words and offer utmost congratulations to the Class of 2025!

A Flame To Carry 

By Sha’Bora Jefferson

This isn’t just a classroom– 

It’s a space of becoming. 

Where voices once silenced 

Learn to rise, to echo, 

To matter. 

Some of us may have come in unsure, 

carrying stories, scars, 

and sparks. 

And somewhere between the pages, 

the questions, 

the courage to speak– 

We lit fires. 

Here, growth isn’t quiet. 

It roars in every paragraph we write, 

Every truth we dare to tell. 

From one flame to the next, 

we pass the torch, 

creating space for others to rise 

and ignite their own fires. 

This is where the torch is passed–  

not just to continue the journey, 

but to ignite new flames 

in those bold enough to dream bigger. 

Because Odyssey isn’t just a program. 

It’s proof that we were here. 

That we are here. 

And we’re not done yet. 

The Odyssey Project is more than a journey– 

it’s a torch passed from hand to hand, 

lighting the path for those who come next. 

We carry the fire forward, 

to burn even brighter than before. 

So show up daily,  

fearless–ready to set shit on fire.