Travis Gardner is like a little brother to John Grube. While Gardner is 68 and Grube is 56, Grube said he feels like the older one because he seems to always be looking out for his friend.
When Gardner forgot to bring water to a job site, Grube was there to supply extra. When Gardner forgot to eat breakfast, Grube brought him to McDonald’s. Grube was also the one who encouraged Gardner to begin with job site coursework in the first place.
“When you look out for each other, the world is brighter and more positive,” Grube said. “Helping others is so much more fulfilling.”
Gardner is a member of the veterans’ corps of the Great Lakes Community Conservation Corps and had been attending Certification and Emergency Response Training (CERT) School, going to classes and earning project-based credit alongside young adult students who are old enough to be his grandchildren.
Fifty years after dropping out of Horlick High School in 1972 as a sophomore to join the U.S. Marine Corps and serve in the Vietnam War, Gardner received his high school diploma Wednesday at CERT School’s graduation and service recognition ceremony in Milwaukee at City on a Hill, 910 N. 23rd St.
‘A lovely program’
Gardner grew up in Racine on Marquette Street. He was one of 17 children and said his family was poor.
Gardner and Grube now live in the same building on College Avenue.
Grube noticed Gardner wasn’t happy with his current situation. Gardner had worked 3-4 jobs in the decades since serving in the Vietnam War and coming back to Racine, including working for The Journal Times at one point. But he felt something was missing: his high school diploma.
“I didn’t feel right without it,” he said.
Grube, who served in the U.S. Army from 1986-1989, had joined the Great Lakes CCC as a veteran corps member a few months prior. He has 40 years of experience in gardening and works with the CCC with that interest in mind.
He invited his friend to join him and encouraged him to take CERT classes.
CERT School is an alternative high school operated by the Great Lakes CCC in Racine and is accredited through the Racine Parental Choice Program via the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.
Designed as a hybrid career academy, students who complete the program earn a diploma and any additional certifications, licenses and credentials they choose for occupations in disaster rescue, recovery and rebuilding of a community.
Grube transported Gardner to his classes and answered questions Gardner had.
Gardner said he joined CERT to get an education, and ended up falling in love with it.
“It’s a lovely program,” he said. “Everybody get along. It showed me there’s a lot of skillful jobs out there.”
He said he’s still working out his future plans after receiving his diploma.
“I’m at a standstill. But I’m not done yet,” he said.
Grube said he’s “very proud” of Gardner’s graduation. “I’m so happy he was able to do it. That’s a milestone in your life.”
“All of these graduates changed their future,” Great Lakes CCC President Chris Litzau said during the graduation ceremony. “They made the effort. They sacrificed, they endured, they really paid the price and went to bat.”
“The beautiful thing about today is, we are sitting in the middle of a dream fulfilled,” Dyer said. “Let us act like this is the birth and the rebirth of something great.”
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