Developing potential at Bellevue Community College

Among the more than 400 students donning caps and gowns at Bellevue Community College's commencement tonight, four are blazing a trail not only in their own lives but possibly for people with developmental disabilities everywhere.

College President Jean Floten hails Leah Brand, Bergen Delisi, Anna Harnois and Trent Marshall as "pioneers" on the last frontier of higher education. Receiving Associate of Occupational and Life Skills diplomas, they are the first graduates of the nation's first college-degree program for students with learning, cognitive and intellectual challenges.Many post-high-school education programs for people with developmental disabilities typically are focused on helping students learn independent-living skills. BCC goes further than life and work-force training and mixes in academics, including classes in reading and writing, environmental awareness, art, media communications and social studies.

These classes are rigorous — all have been deemed to be at the 100-level academically. The Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities approved this program to be on BCC's accredited list. New students are expected to take four years to complete the program.

Delisi of Bellevue is a computer whiz who has a job waiting for him; Brand of Woodinville hopes to work in the legal field; Edmonds resident Harnois' interest in child care was sparked by an internship; and Marshall of Seattle hopes to advance in his current customer-service job.

These four students are showing that people with disabilities can learn at advanced levels. Director Mary Allason says another 49 students are in the program — and she has been fielding questions from esteemed institutions such as the University of California at Los Angeles and the University of Iowa.

Congratulations, graduates and BCC for toppling this barrier.