The LARE Institute of American Training proudly hosted its Annual Graduation Celebration on Thursday, June 12th, at our Andover campus—and what a day it was!
For more than 40 years, the LARE Institute has been a pillar of opportunity and transformation for the Merrimack Valley and beyond. This year, we had the honor of celebrating the hard work, determination, and achievements of our Graduating Class of 2025, who walked across the stage to the cheers and applause of proud Family, Friends, Instructors, and ATI Colleagues.
Our Graduates earned certificates in a wide range of career-focused programs, including:
HiSET (High School Equivalency)
Electronics Assembly
Business Technology
Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)
Medical Assisting
The air was filled with emotion, pride, and WOW! Magic as each student stepped forward to receive their certificate, pausing for a moment of recognition before switching their tassels—signifying their transition from students to alumni. Many tears were shed, and even more smiles shared, as stories of resilience and success unfolded throughout the ceremony.
This annual celebration is more than just a ceremony; it’s a reminder of the life-changing impact education and support can have. These Graduates represent perseverance, courage, and the power of second chances.
Congratulations to the LARE Institute Graduating Class of 2025!
We are beyond proud of each and every one of you, and we can’t wait to see the incredible things you’ll do as you move forward on your journey.
Keep reaching, keep growing, and keep spreading your WOW! Magic into the world.
Check out photos from the ceremony below:
What do you get when you mix a dazzling summer day, an explosion of color, the smell of great food in the air, music that makes you want to dance, and the contagious joy of our ATI Family?
You get Tie Dye Day & Carnivale 2025—a celebration overflowing with WOW! Magic!
This year’s event was bigger, brighter, and more unforgettable than ever before. Our campus was transformed into a vibrant festival ground, filled with laughter, creativity, and connection at every turn. From the moment Guests and Colleagues stepped onto the property, they were welcomed into a world where fun reigned supreme and everyone belonged.
The spirit of the Carnivale was alive and well thanks to our incredible roaming performers! Jugglers, stilt walkers, balloon artists, and face painters made their way through the crowds, bringing wonder and whimsy to every corner of the celebration. Their energy and artistry kept both children and adults captivated, adding a sense of fantasy and flair that could only be described as WOW! Magic in motion.
What’s a celebration without music? With lively beats filling the air, spontaneous dance parties broke out under the tent. Whether it was a full-on group boogie or just a few happy feet tapping along to the rhythm, the music created the soundtrack to a day full of joy. Games and activities kept the energy high, with laughter echoing across the grounds as friends, families, Guests and Colleagues came together to play and connect… and from savory classics to cool summer favorites, the menu was a hit with everyone. Smiles stretched ear to ear as everyone enjoyed delicious bites, refreshing beverages, and an array of sweet treats that offered a perfect way to beat the heat.
And of course… the tie dye. So. Much. Tie dye.
From t-shirts to handbag accessories, color was everywhere! Whether it was your first Tie Dye Day or your tenth, that moment you see the lawn filled with Guests and Colleagues sporting handmade rainbow creations never fails to give you goosebumps. It’s a visual representation of our WOW! Magic in living color.
Check out photos of the WOW! Magic in action below:
We stepped inside the grandeur of the CLUE WOW! Magic Mansion, where mystery and WOW! Magic met at American Training’s kickoff event of the season—our Annual Spring Break! Held this year on April 4, 2025, this one-of-a-kind competitive training day brought together all of our branches as we made competition, creativity, collaboration, and our Core Values come to life.
Inspired by the classic CLUE game and steeped in 1920s Tudor Mansion charm, each branch transformed their space into a room from the CLUE board game that represented one of our Seven Core Values, all of course centered around our signature WOW! Magic culture. Colleagues dressed the part, designed immersive spaces, played a real life living Murder Mystery game, and poured their hearts into creating an unforgettable experience for everyone in attendance.
And this year’s champions? Vanway! With outstanding teamwork, incredible attention to detail, and a whole lot of WOW! Magic, Vanway drove home the win and proudly claimed the coveted Spring Break Trophy.
This event was most certainly a showcase of who we are: a team of Exceptional People doing Extraordinary things. Until next year, the WOW! Magic Mansion stands as a reminder of the WOW! Magic Moments we create together, everyday.
Check out some images of the WOW! Magic in action below:
Can you feel it in the air? It’s WOW! Magic! And American Training, Inc. showcased this firsthand as we presented “A WOW! Magical Wonka Christmas!” A Holiday Open House for the Guests and Residents that we serve, at our 6 Campanelli Drive, Andover MA. location, on Friday 12/6.
Beginning at 5:00pm hundreds of Guests, Colleagues, and Visitors poured into our lobby at Campanelli to witness a transformation not only of the physical space (which was incredible) but one that touched the soul as well. Greeted by Willy Wonka, Charlie, Violet, Grandpa, and Grandma at the Front Gates to the Factory, every visitor was made to feel like Family by The Oompa-Loompas who mingled with the crowd all night long. Topping off the guest list was a spectacular visit by Santa, Mrs. Claus, and their Elves, direct from the North Pole, who sat for photos in Willy Wonka’s Hard Candy Boat known as the S.S. Wonkatania.
That set the stage for the most heart-warming night in American Training History as our Guests poured their hearts into a night of dancing to DJ Greg spinning one hit after another in a night club setting reminiscent of New York’s best dance clubs. The enthusiasm and joy showed by everyone could be felt with every beat of “We Are Family”, every dance move to the Macarena, and every raised voice in tune with the theme from “Frozen.”
Hot chocolate, soda, bottles of spring water, a buffet of beef sliders, various kinds of pizza, tender chicken fingers, and creamy macaroni with various toppings of one’s choosing kept everyone’s energy at peak performance until the end of the night.
Check out some photos of the event below!
Come join us and you’ll be in a world of pure WOW! Magic, where you will reach out and touch what was once just in your imagination!
We are the WOW! Magic Makers! We bring the Magic to life!
On April 12th we hosted our first annual Spring Break since COVID-19 and let me tell you, not only did we make a come back, but we came back bigger and better than ever!
This year we took the entire agency on a trip to Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory. There we arrived to find The Chocolate River, Wonka Vision, The Invention Room, The Fizzy Bubble Room, and all of the Golden Geese!
Our People and Culture Branch brought our Colleagues together for this very special training and team building day. And like all Spring Breaks before this, all of that and more was accomplished. This year brought WOW! Magic to a whole new level in the form of Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory, and brought to life the idea that if you want to view paradise simply look around and view it, anything you want to, do it. Wanna change the world? There’s nothing to it…. with the help of WOW! Magic, that is!
Check out photos of the WOW! Magic in action below!
It’s a WOW! Magical time of year!!
This was especially true this past Wednesday 12/23, when Mrs. Claus, Santa, and his cast of CandyLand characters, visited our 6 Campanelli Drive location for storytime and photos with some well deserving kiddos who just happened to find themselves at the top of this year’s Nice List!
The morning started out with children being greeted upon arrival by our cast of characters, leading to a special reading of Christmas stories by none other than Mrs. Claus, that was followed up by an appearance from Santa himself!… Who was more than happy to take photos with his adoring fans, and pass out goodies and treats for all in attendance.
Seeing the absolute joy and smiles on the faces of the little ones there, left us no doubt that both the Christmas Spirit and the WOW! Magic are alive and well here at American Training!
Yes … WE REALLY DID IT…AGAIN!
A few months ago, the Boston Globe conducted a Survey of 76,000 workers across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in search of the best places to work. We were one of those companies surveyed. And now, the results are in.
American Training has been selected as a
“TOP PLACES TO WORK 2024” in Massachusetts!
WOW! Magic is alive and well at American Training! It is what makes our Culture unique and different. A Culture that creates WOW! Magic Moments through our extraordinary customer service and outrageously memorable successes unmatched by any other organization in our industry.
This Award is a testimony to the creative talent, knowledge and experience that makes OUR Colleagues the most amazing anywhere. It is clear that we have built a reputation for taking the lead in being innovative in the services we provide while focusing on the highest quality of those services.
Keep Spreading Your WOW! Magic!
Can you feel it in the air? It’s WOW! Magic! And American Training, Inc is showcasing this firsthand as we present “A CandyLand Christmas”
We kicked off this year’s Holiday Season on Friday December 1st by inviting members of the community to A Christmas in CandyLand party at our 6 Campanelli Drive, Andover MA. location where we announced being the recipients of the Boston Globe’s 2023 “Top Places to Work”; while showcasing our lobby – a WOW! Magical destination created with decorations hand crafted by our very own Colleagues, Students, and Guests. Working for weeks on this project, we literally transformed our main office into a giant life sized CandyLand gameboard that you will have to see for yourself to believe. This Extraordinary experience was made complete with Peppermint Forest, Ginger Lane, Chocolate Mountain, Gumdrop Alley, and Ice Cream Peaks, and featured none other than Santa, Mrs. Claus, their Elves, and a slew of WOW! Magical Candy Characters!
We will have our A CandyLand Christmas destination open and on display throughout the Holiday Season. If you would like to schedule a group to experience it, and have photos taken with Santa and his cast of CandyLand characters, please reach out to StephanieBradbury@americantraininginc.com.
Check out some photos of the event below.
About American Training
American Training, Inc. is a non-profit organization based in the Merrimack Valley, who for over 40 years, have provided housing, education, training & support services to people with disabilities, youth at risk & adult learners who are looking for a pathway towards a more meaningful life. Annually we provide services to over 1,000 people throughout the Merrimack Valley and beyond.
The WOW! Magic was certainly in the air at American Training!
With Haunted Happenings were up, down, and all around our Lowell program! Our dedicated Colleagues and Guests pulled out all of the stops this year to put on their most Spooktacular Spectacle to date! The Scary Tales of The Brother’s Grimm!
Check out some photos below of their EXTRAORDINARY Haunted House!
Trust me when I say… it was nothing short of WOW! Magic on display!
It’s a WOW! Magical Time of the Year! One filled with the joy of bringing Christmas cheer and WOW! Magic to our American Training, Family… To the children of our very own LARE Institute Students, our extended American Training Family! And, with the help of our dedicated Colleagues and the generosity of Toys for Tots and many other generous donations, our Students’ children received gifts from Santa himself to brighten their holidays and filled the halls of American Training and LARE Institute with the sound of children’s joy and laughter.
Check out photos from the festivities below:
