Adult Education graduation
Darlington County Adult Education graduates celebrate their accomplishments at the graduation ceremony on May 24.
Photos by Samantha Lyles
By Samantha Lyles, Staff Writer, slyles@newsandpress.net
Darlington County Adult Education celebrated the achievements of fifty students who earned their high school diploma or GED (General Educational Development) certification during a graduation ceremony held May 24 at St. John’s Elementary Auditorium in Darlington.
Eric Bell delivered the evening’s invocation.
Adult Ed director Chuck Miller shared the story of student Janie Jackson, 76, who walks the 1.5 mile round trip to Hartsville Adult Ed classes each day… with a cane. “Miss Janie” has special motivation for her efforts: in addition to furthering her own education, she wants to set an example for her grandson Jerome Dixon, and her hard work paid off Tuesday night as Jerome was awarded both his GED and the Susan B. Jordan Memorial Scholarship for outstanding character.
Adult Ed’s top graduate of 2016, John L. Rice, passed the GED with a high score of 672 and earned College Ready certifications and college credit. Rice, a Navy veteran who went back to school in an effort to end a long period of unemployment, offered an inspiring charge to his fellow students, urging them to be discerning when choosing friends, sincere in their efforts to establish a personal relationship with God, and undaunted in pursuit of their dreams.