Katarina Ellison said May 15 during the Clarendon County Adult Education commencement exercises at the F.E. DuBose Center that she didn’t complete her high school education for just anyone.
“I did this for my daughter,” said Ellison, who was one of 41 graduates from the program, which provides both high school-age and older students an ability to gain their GED.
David Wylie was one of the older students who graduated. He said he quit school in 1988.
“It was just time for me to come back and finally get my diploma,” he said.
For Dominican Republic native Katiuska Isabel Soffera, known to her fellow students as “Kathy,” the graduation was special for two reasons. She got her diploma, and the program’s teachers and administrators recognized her for obtaining her U.S. citizenship.
“I want to congratulate my fellow students,” she said. “An education is something no one can take from you.”
Director Julie Griffin said the program celebrated all of those who completed the GED curricula in the past year.
“For some, it’s been a year since they completed it,” she said. “Others just completed it recently.”
She said the average age for those in the program is 22.
“We have students who are 17 and students who are 58 graduating tonight,” Griffin said. “Seven of our graduates are 20.”
One younger graduate was Briana Felder, who said she was 9-months pregnant when she first came to the program.
“This is not a time for perfection,” she said. “It’s a time to make mistakes, and to fall down, but you get up 3,000 times stronger.”
Kenneth Clark Grey left high school in 1997, and joined the military in 2001. He worked his way through several promotions, all the way to sergeant first class.
This was his second GED.
“I found out that my first GED was not accredited,” he said. “So I had to come back. And I’m really thankful that I did.”
Keya Jackson, like Soffera, is another South Carolina transplant who walked across the stage May 15 to receive her GED.
“I came down from New York shortly after Hurricane Sandy,” she said. “I want to thank all of those who helped me press on, even when I didn’t want to keep going.”
Clarendon School District 1 Superintendent Rose Wilder encouraged students to empower themselves with education throughout their lives.
“Empowerment is a tool you will use to get yourselves to the next level in whatever path you choose,” Wilder said. “You can exceed beyond all expectations and any point if you are a lifelong learner.”
She said the most important piece of advice she could give students was, “What got you here will not get you there.”
“You must go above and beyond now,” she said. “You have to decide whether you are going to strive or thrive. Striving is just making it by; thriving will take you to the next level.”
Griffin said that 43 percent of the GED graduates are already at the next level, either through already being enrolled in Central Carolina Technical College classes or getting ready to enroll in them.
“We are so proud of what our graduates have done,” she said. “I encourage all the graduates to thank someone who helped them get here today.”
