Clarendon County Adult Education held its first ever Winter Graduation on December 12, 2019 at 6 p.m. in the Franklin Simmons Auditorium of the F.E. DuBose Career Center.
“We have had all of our past graduations in the spring,” said Central Carolina Technical College's F.E. DuBose Campus Adult Education Director, Lara Kolb. “We had a lot of students that were ready and I didn't want to keep them waiting.”
The JROTC of Manning High School presented the colors. The guest speaker was Mrs. Mary DuBose Nash. She spoke about the legacy of her father in a similar turn to Oh The Places You’ll Go by Dr. Suess. Shelamie Nash was our student speaker. She spoke about the perseverance it takes to get an education when English is not your first language. There were 14 graduates total.
“This really is a class of go-getters,” said Kolb. “We really didn't get to spend a lot of time with them. Previously, we have had students that stay with us for years but it seems like these just got here. They came in and did their work and hustled so that they could achieve their goals quickly.”
The graduates were Dylan Adams, Kaelan Beatson, Christopher Bessetti, Nadja Butler, Whitney Cross, Malorie Eriquezzo, Zachary Herbst, Tanigra Hilton, Shelamie Nash, Dustin Parshley, Michelle Pigott, Gavin Sarduy, Dylan Smith and Jodi Thompson. Family and friends stayed for refreshments and fellowship after the ceremony.
“The goal we have here goes so far beyond GED's and High School Diploma's,” said Kolb. “We want these students to be good citizens, and we strive every day to place them into good jobs or higher education. I am very proud of this class.”
