Clarendon County Adult Education celebrated the achievements of 27 graduates during its Spring Commencement Ceremony held May 15, at Manning United Methodist Church.
The Class of 2025 included students from Clarendon and surrounding counties—Sumter, Lee, Florence, Williamsburg, Orangeburg, Darlington, and Richland—who completed either a high school diploma or GED through the program. Director Lara Kolb welcomed guests with a message of pride and perspective, noting that adult education programs now positively contribute to school district graduation rates statewide.
“When students earn their GED or high school diploma through our program, it no longer negatively affects high school graduation rates—in fact, it helps,” Kolb said. “That’s a big deal, and not just for us, but for the entire state.”
Kolb also shared highlights from a banner year for the program, including top-five rankings in several statewide categories and two prestigious national honors: the Educate & Elevate Award from the Coalition of Adult Basic Education and the Excellence in Local Program Award. The program also received a $10,000 Dollar General Literacy Foundation grant to support expansion in Paxville.
One of the evening’s most memorable moments came from guest speaker Travis Sears, a former GED graduate of the program who is now an EMT and serves as a youth pastor at Summerton Baptist Church. Sears, who moved to the U.S. from Mexico nine years ago, shared how adult education gave him a second chance when his high school diploma from Mexico wasn’t accepted.
“I barely spoke English when I started, and I had no idea what my next step should be,” Sears said. “But God put the right people in my life—people who helped me rewrite my story. And you can too. It’s never too late.”
Sears urged graduates to ask for guidance in their next chapter: “Maybe you don’t know what’s next yet. Maybe you’re trying to decide. Ask God, and take the next step with courage. And if you fail—don’t give up.”
The evening also included student awards and recognitions:
-National Career Readiness Certificates were presented to 13 students, including Shannon Hutchinson, Amber Ramirez, and Charles Sweat, who each achieved Gold-level distinction.
-GED Graduate with Distinction was awarded to Hutchinson, who scored 166 on one of the GED sections—surpassing the college-ready threshold.
-National Adult Education Honor Society inductees included Treyvon Blackstock, Conor Huth, Ramirez, and Sweat.
Sweat, who also served as the student speaker, brought the audience to their feet with his remarks. At 41, he returned to school to earn his high school diploma while balancing work, fatherhood, and coaching a little league baseball team.
“I did it for my kids,” Sweat said. “I wanted to show them it’s never too late to do the right thing.”
What he didn’t expect was a surprise waiting for him after the ceremony. Sweat had missed his team’s final game of the season to attend graduation. As he exited the church, parents and young players from his team came running across the parking lot at Manning United Methodist, fresh from JC Britton Park, holding balloons and handmade signs. The team had won their game—and came straight to celebrate their beloved coach.
The evening also included a heartfelt rose presentation, where each graduate presented a flower to someone who supported them through their educational journey—family, mentors, teachers, or friends.
During the recognition portion of the program, graduates received personalized portfolios containing transcripts, award certificates, and a congratulatory certificate from Rep. Fawn Pedalino.
Kolb closed the ceremony with a final message to her graduates: “If you see us out in town, don’t run from us—come tell us what you’re doing. We want to know how your story continues.”
