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From left to right: Nominator Abe Farkas, Program Director Ara Aguiar, District Chancellor Darroch "Rocky" Young and Vice President of Academic Affairs Paul Stansbury.

Children in underserved areas of Los Angeles regularly receive free dental care and Pit & Fissure Sealants from students of West Los Angeles College (WLAC).  This outreach service, plus the fact that the dental hygiene program has 97.5 percent retention and 100 percent board exam passing rates, recently garnered honors from the Los Angeles Community College District.

“We’re thrilled to be selected as the district’s best workforce development program,” Program Director Ara Aguiar said.  “Our team has developed a top-notch curriculum and we have students providing oral health care at the Veteran’s Administration Medical Services and Cedars Sinai.”

The WLAC dental hygiene program provides education in basic sciences, dental sciences and clinical dental hygiene services.

“Our district offers a lot of job training opportunities,” WLAC President Mark Rocha said.  “We were happy to nominate Dental Hygiene, along with our Paralegal, Administration of Justice/Probation Training, and Alcohol/Drug Abuse Certificate programs.  We are so proud of the work these vocational education programs do.”

The May 9th Excellence in Workforce Development Awards luncheon highlighted nine “Blue Ribbon” career programs that have been successfully developed on Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD) campuses in collaboration with local businesses. Award ceremonies were hosted at Los Angeles Trade Technical College, during a luncheon that included a buffet prepared by that school’s Culinary Arts Department.

The purpose of the Excellence in Workforce Development Awards is to highlight the many

exceptional programs offered at LACCD colleges.  Fourteen industry judges evaluated the 37 entries and selected the most promising programs in 10 categories from their business perspective.

The nine colleges of the LACCD offer more than 130 career and technical workforce programs designed to provide students with the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in today’s rapidly changing world.  Visit www.lacolleges.net.                            

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