GED graduates recognized at ceremony
Published or Revised January 12, 2017
Guest speaker at the graduation ceremony (top) was Viviana “Vivi” Van Deaver. GED graduates who were inducted into the National Adult Education Honor Society during the ceremony included, from left Rosalee Sanchez, Jordan Reed, Christopher Blake Moore, Harriet Garrett, and Jimena Estrada. Moore also received the $250 PJC Adult Education Community Funded Scholarship and Garrett the $500 Toyota of Paris scholarship.
Nearly 60 students were recognized recently during a ceremony held by the Paris Junior College Adult Education Department. Prior to the ceremony, participants heard from featured speaker Viviana "Vivi" Van Deaver, a native Guatemalan working as a patient advocate at Paris Regional Medical Center. She plans to enter graduate school this fall pursuing a master's degree in nutrition.
Van Deaver described gaining her bachelor's degree before coming to America, then working to master English as a Second language and working several jobs. Passing the GED, she went on to PJC, finishing with a 4.0 GPA. She praised the instructors who helped her and made her progress possible, and encouraged those getting their GEDs to continue going forward.
Next came induction for into the National Adult Education Honor Society. Students must be nominated by an instructor and demonstrate the following attributes: dependable attendance, cooperative attitude, and good work ethic. Inductees included:
Three scholarships to Paris Junior College were awarded based on students meeting all Adult Education Program requirements, receiving an instructor recommendation, and GED scores. Residency was a factor in the first scholarship awarded, the $250 Lamar County Literacy Council Scholarship provided by United Way of Lamar County, which went to Courtney Poole. The $250 PJC Adult Education Community Funded Scholarship went to Christopher Moore of Hopkins County and the $500 Toyota of Paris scholarship (donated by Toyota of Paris) went to Mrs. Harriet Garrett of Red River County.
Those receiving their GED certifications, by town, included:
Arthur City: Hannah Hodnett
Blossom: Ashley M. Parker
Bonham: Rebecca Leigh Ramirez, Tonya Stevenson
Brashear: Martin McQueen
Brookston: Susana Harder, Brianna Spier
Campbell: Courtney Pritchard
Clarksville: Jason M. Kelly
Como: Vanessa Buenrostro, Jimena Estrada, Shauna Mayfield, Georgia McGregor
Cooper: Angel Ramos
Deport: Joanna Garza
Detroit: Harriet Florene Garrett, Meagan Wheeler
Emory: Michael Brem
Lake Dallas: Jonathan Gleason
Paris: James Anderson, Braulio Angeles, Alicia Baeza, Miranda Bailey, Emma Broberg, Ryan Erickson, Alicia Harper, Valerie Lopez, Gabriel Mendoza, Dylan Moon, Courtney Poole, Missy Rios, Rosalee Sanchez, Jadrian Sanders, Tiffany Standridge, Josefin Westling, Shundarrious Woodson, Alejandro Zermeno
Pattonville: Kelly Griffin
Pickton: Leslie Brumley, Jordan Reed
Reno: Thomas Howard
Sulphur Springs: Holly Ann Allen, Desiree N. Aranda, Olga Bonilla, Kelsey Haley, Natalie Hinds, Harleigh Johnson, Justin Joe McQueen, Christopher Moore, Keely Moore, Eric Ortega, Roman Albino Reyes, Joseph R. Smith, Jamie Waldrop
Sumner: Eric Sugg
Yantis: Hadenn Townsend
