PJC holds 2017 GED graduation ceremony
Published or Revised May 16, 2017
At top, five of the GED graduates were inducted into the Adult Education Honor Society. They are, from left, Clarissa Dial, Vickie DeVore, Georgia McGregor, Esmeralda Sanchez, and Annie Shipman. Receiving scholarships at the GED ceremony (center) were Vickie DeVore of Reno, recipient of the United Way Scholarship for the graduate with the highest GPA, and Lazarus Meek of Sulphur Springs, recipient of the Adult Education and Literacy Scholarship for most outstanding student in the program. Below, keynote speaker was past GED graduate Blake Moore, a current PJC-Sulphur Springs Center student planning to transfer to Texas A&M University - Commerce in the fall.
Nearly 50 students were recognized recently during a ceremony held by the Paris Junior College Adult Education Department. The keynote speaker, Blake Moore, is a 2016 graduate of the Adult Education Program at PJC.
Born and raised in Sulphur Springs, Moore obtained his GED certificate from the PJC program and now works full-time at an auto parts store while he majors in psychology, taking classes at the PJC-Sulphur Springs Center. He is a recent inductee into Phi Theta Kappa, the two-year college honor society, and is planning to transfer to Texas A&M University - Commerce this fall. Despite his busy schedule, he still returns to help tutor other GED students.
“Tonight I would like to say ‘congratulations’ to the GED recipients of 2017,” said Moore. “I remember this time last year. I was in the very seat you’re sitting in and I can still taste the nervousness I was feeling. I thought I had a plan of what I was going to do; I thought I knew what I was going to get a degree in; but I found my passion, my calling. Learn something new every day - knowledge is an ocean and don’t be afraid of the sharks.”
Moore related a story of a man seeking a guru to find the secret of success. The guru held the man’s head underwater until he was fighting to get free and take a breath. At last, the guru released him and said, “you wanted to know the secret of success. Remember a few minutes ago how badly you wanted to take that next breath of air? When you want success that badly, you will have it.”
“How badly do you want success?” Moore challenged the graduates.
Five students were inducted into the National Adult Education Honor Society. For this achievement, students must be nominated by an instructor and demonstrate the attributes of dependable attendance, cooperative attitude, and good work ethic. Inductees included Vickie DeVore, Clarissa Dial, Georgia McGregor, Esmeralda Sanchez, and Annie Shipman.
Receiving scholarships at the GED ceremony were DeVore, recipient of the United Way Scholarship for the graduate with the highest GPA, and Lazarus Meek, recipient of the Adult Education and Literacy Scholarship for most outstanding student in the program.
Those receiving their GED certifications, by town, included:
Annona: Georgia McGregor
Arthur City: Brandon McFarland
Blossom: Dustin Wofford, Brett Brumbalow, Shauna M. Stoll, and Richard Hopkins
Brashear: Zachary Escobedo
Brookston: Jathen Donaldson
Clarksville: Maddie Ellsworth, Kristina Little, and Aaron Olds
Commerce: Jered Weimar and Diana Godsell
Cooper: Autumn Herndon
Cumby: Jenifer Young
De Kalb: Joshua Mitchell
Emory: Ryan Putnam
Greenville: Teresa Bow
Honey Grove: Michael S. Barnett and Ashley Clark
Klondike: Janson E. Junell
Mt. Vernon: Erik E. Alonso
Paris: Daniel Ault, Jacob Boswell, Connie Brown, Hayden Harrell, Sara Healey, Esmeralda Sanchez, Marianna Shepherd, and Annie Shipman
Pickton: Jonathan Barth and Ma. Guadalupe Ledesma
Powderly: Leia Carr and Chelsea Posey
Reno: Vickie DeVore
Sulphur Springs: Amber Baxley, Kaela Carter, Clarissa Dial, Dakota Donald, Lazarus Meek, Olympia Murillo, Arianna Patterson, Anna Scott, and Jesica Solis
Sumner: Pedro M. Wiebe
Winnsboro: Rebecca Bryant
