Special to the Record
On Wednesday, July 22, Roca hosted a graduation celebration to celebrate participants from the Chelsea and Lynn Women’s Programs who achieved major programmatic and educational milestones.
This year, 26 young women from Roca’s Chelsea and Lynn sites graduated from the intensive behavioral health program, four earned their high school diploma, four earned their HiSET, and one graduate completed college — milestones that reflect years of perseverance and growth.
Rooted in Rewire CBT—a non-clinical adaptation of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy—Roca’s intervention model employs relentless outreach and programming across education, life skills, and employment to support the highest-risk young women and mothers build a life beyond violence. For the young people Roca serves, graduation is not only a credential, but also evidence of transformation.
“Today, we celebrate much more than diplomas or certificates—we celebrate transformation, resilience, growth, and the bravery of our young women to keep moving forward, even when the journey wasn’t easy,” said Paola Quiceno, Assistant Director of Economic Stability for Roca’s Young Women’s Program. Quiceno spoke directly to the graduates— “never forget that you are strong, capable, and courageous. Continue dreaming, growing, and creating the future you and your children deserve.”
Two participants stood before family, staff, and community members to share what it took to get to this day.
“Standing here today is something I once wasn’t sure would ever happen. Like many of you, my path hasn’t been straight. There were setbacks, detours, and days when giving up felt easier than pushing on. Earning my diploma wasn’t just about school. It was about proving to myself that my story wasn’t over,” said Ada, a Roca participant.
Another participant spoke to the impact of Roca’s behavioral health foundation on her journey. “When I arrived at Roca, I was dealing with many challenges such as domestic violence and difficulty managing my emotions, among others…but Roca never gave up on me. The whole team was there throughout my transformation. They always found a way to connect with me, even in the moments when I didn’t want to accept help. I learned that my story could change,” said Roca participant, Maya*. “In the program, I learned CBT to manage my emotions, confront challenges, focus on my goals, create healthy habits, and find work to develop a better future. I can say with pride I earned my HiSET and my certifications for CPR and forklift, but my greatest achievement is not the certificates. It is obtaining this mentality, courage, and emotional stability. Today, I can manage my emotions in any circumstance and challenge that life gives.”
Maya closed her remarks by thanking those who helped her along her journey; “without you all, none of this would be possible. To my youth worker, thank you for caring for me, thank you for finding me, and thank you for never giving up on me. Your work transformed my life, my family, and transformed generations. Today we don’t celebrate my graduation, we celebrate my growth.”
Following remarks from staff and participants, graduates received their diplomas, surrounded by applause from the people who have walked alongside them throughout their journey. The celebration concluded with dancing and a disco ball.
An external evaluation of Roca’s Young Women’s Program from FY19-24 by Tufts Interdisciplinary Evaluation Research (TIER) found that women enrolled in Roca for 12+ months showed clinically significant reductions in emotional dysregulation, domestic violence, PTSD, and depression. TIER also reported a 62% decrease in arraignments and 33% decrease in children’s open cases. Founded in 1988, Roca’s mission is to relentlessly disrupt violence by engaging young people, police, and systems to heal trauma, find hope, and drive change.