On Thursday, June 15, 2023, 10 GED students at the Black Hawk College Community Education Center in Kewanee joined together with staff, family and friends for a graduation ceremony to celebrate the completion of the requirements to obtain their GED (General Educational Development Certificate).
“These students worked with determination and diligence to finish something of great importance to their future and success,” said Valerie Painter, the new Coordinator at the CEC and ESL Instructor, and she was excited when Kathie Gibler, the Adult Education GED Instructor, wanted to make this a memorable experience for the graduates.
Students in the English as a Second Language (ESL) Class volunteered to cook a meal for this event and each graduate was able to invite five guests. Everyone in attendance appreciated the wonderful meal and the kindness of the ESL students who made this an even more special event. Also assisting students are Etta LaFlora, Stark County youth advisor, Tami Rouse, Career Link office manager and Debra Rhoades, Intake and Assessment Specialist.
The 10 graduating students were Chase Down, Kallie O’Dell, Gabe Mathis, Lauryn Garcia Hudspeth, Owen Whitney, Kursten Wagley, Tristin Garcia, Hannah Dozard, Elise Wilson, and Kyle Hollins who was the student speaker for the program.
Kyle Hollins told about how the COVID pandemic had such a negative impact on his education and the difficulty he had in bouncing back when in person school resumed. He admitted the process to obtain a GED was hard; but once his mind was made up, he completed his GED, enrolled in the phlebotomy program, and next week will start a new job at Genesis Hospital in the Quad Cities. He encouraged the other students to keep following their dreams.
The staff at the Black Hawk College CEC work together as a team to help our students achieve success, and if the enrolled students have good attendance and put forth the effort, they will move closer to obtaining their GED. To enroll or learn more about the GED program at the Black Hawk College CEC, please call 309-854-1875 or visit our website at https://www.bhc.edu/program/ged
