Editor’s Note: Every week, Breaking Bronx features a health-related story, event or tidbit as part of an online expansion of our Be Healthy! column.

Pomp and Circumstance echoed throughout the Bronx Borough Hall Rotunda on June 13 during a special commencement ceremony celebrating the achievements of 62 high school students graduating from Jewish Home’s Geriatric Career Development Program (GCD).

“The GCD program pushed me to be the person I am today,” said Ederly Jiminez, one of the three student speakers at the ceremony.

The Geriatric Career Development Program, now in its seventh year, is an intensive three-year program for at-risk New York City high school students, which sets them on a path towards solid careers in health care. GCD is an experience-based youth work force development and college preparation.

Through the training and mentoring in the GCD program, these teenagers are provided with academic support, college preparation, job training and can even earn licenses as a certified nursing assistants or pharmacy technicians. Students leave the program with the experience of working with elders, direct care skills and exposure to the wide range of careers in health care and aging services.

This year, a a remarkable 98% of the GCD students will be entering two-or four-year colleges this fall.

The Bronx Borough President, Ruben Diaz, Jr., delivered the keynote address. The Bronx Borough President’s office supports Jewish Home’s GCD program through a NYC Department for the Aged grant for Elder Mentor activities and events. Partnering each student with a nursing home elder, the grant monies provide more opportunities for students to interact with Jewish Home residents with personalized activities.

During the ceremony, the GCD graduates proudly introduced themselves, stated the colleges they will be attending and shared their intended majors to the cheering friends, family and Jewish Home Lifecare staff in the audience.

“We were thrilled to be here and feel wonderful hearing about each graduate and their college plans” said Liz Duffy, Program Officer of the Tiger Foundation which funds the GCD Program. Kate Liebman and Nancy Marks of the Carl Marx Foundation, which also supports the GCD Program were in the audience as well.