Paris Junior College holds GED graduation ceremonies

Published or Revised January 24, 2014

Ceremonies were held for the 163 students who successfully met testing requirements to receive general education development (GED) diplomas Tuesday, May 7, in Paris Junior College's Hunt Center. PJC Director of Adult Education and Family Literacy Krista McAdamis introduced guest speaker Charlie Hodgkiss, PJC Industrial Technology division chairman. Hodgkiss, who worked for many years in the air conditioning and refrigeration field, has a certificate in air conditioning technology from PJC, a B.S. in Technology from East Texas State University (now Texas A&M University – Commerce) and has taught either part- or full-time at PJC for 19 years. Hodgkiss gave a long list of stellar achievers who started with their GED and achieved success, including racecar driver Danica Patrick. He stressed the importance of family and setting goals, and how he felt it was a great privilege to help students at PJC. "Getting to teach each day is the best career ever," Hodgkiss said. McAdamis announced winners of five Paris Junior College scholarships for $200. They include Patricia Lowe of Paris and Jeremy Huie of Sulphur Springs, the Gaspar Sanchez Memorial Scholarship; Amanda Gunnels of Paris, the Michael A. Folmar Honorary Scholarship; Gina Crawford of Paris, the Lamar County Literacy Council Scholarship; and Nicolas Smart of Paris, the Janie Bonham Scholarship. Students who achieved membership in the National Adult Education Honor Society include Katamara Ausburn, Donna Boone, Debbie Bowman, Keith Carter, Gina Crawford, Michael Duncan, Carl Daniels, Estrebertha Escobar, Veronica Escobar, Amanda Gunnels, Cornelius Harms, Heladia Hernandez, Franz Hiebert, Johann Hiebert, Jimmie Jones, Patricia Lowe, Bonnie Martinez, Jennifer Miller, Angelika Ramirez, Angelina Redgate, and Nicholas Smart. English as a Second Language (ESL) students achieving membership in the society are Jessica Caraveo, Graciela Reyes, Norma Salazar, Jose Sanchez, Jose Torres, and Celia Warner. Nominations to the honor society are based on dependable attendance, cooperative attitude, self-reliance, showing improvement in test scores, and overcoming personal and professional obstacles. The Society provides meaningful recognition to deserving adult education students, improves student employment opportunities, develops student ambassadors for local adult education programs and creates adult education awareness with school administrators and state legislators. GED graduates and their hometowns are: Paris: Katamara Ausburn, Marissa Binko, McKala Bishop, Shelby Jo Bivens, Jason Buckaloo, Jason Scott Callaway, Keith Carter, Justine Coffey, Gina Crawford, Jacob Croushore, Natalie Davis, Erica DeLeon, John Dunlap, Johanna Eden, Shawn Foster, Jason Garbalena, Cornelius Gill, Kallie Good, Traci Griffin, Amanda Gunnels, Stephen Harrison, Aaron Hill, Jayna Jackson, Alyssa Kear, Kelvin King, Tanner Malone, Chandler McDonald, Johnny McLemore, Jennifer Miller, Kaden Murray, Casey Offutt, Emily Onstad, Brandon Ortega, Rosa Ortiz, Francisco Ramirez, Jeremy Rosson, Chasity Rucker, Kevin Sampson, Stephanie Simer, Jazmine Simpson, Larry Sisson, Nicholas Smart, Eva Stewart, David Swint, Robert Taylor, Nathan Tierney, Steven Tuck, Misty Vaden, Elizabeth Valdez, Kenneth Wallace, Paul Welch, Brittanee Williams, Matthew Williams, Daniel Womack II and Haley Wyrick Alba: Ashlen Jackson and Dallas Woods Annona: Jose Cardenas and Anita Scales Aubrey: Jerrica Martin Blossom: Mackenzie Basinger, Dakota Broun, Eric Garner Reilly and Sherry Pendergraft Bogata: Samantha Gentry, Angelika Ramirez, Remy Schenk and Valerie Vaughan Bonham: Steven Lance Taylor Brashear: Vicente Badillo and Canyon Sickles Brookston: Summer Knight Campbell: Kasey Christoper Babb Clarksville: Courtney Clark, Jamel Johnson, Kelsi Smart and Jacob Wooten Como: Derrick Glenn and Magan Shelby Cooper: Antoinette Batchelor, Gunter Burns, Rarsha Burris, Daniel Franks, Vickie Turner and Lisa Wilson Cumby: Jennifer Saldana, Rikki Townsend and Corriene Wise Dallas: Kindell Brady Deport: Chelsea Burnett and Lesli Johnson Dodd City: Rhonda Sullivan Emory: Jessica Munoz, Lauren Rasberry and Melissa Skiles Frisco: Jide Akanbi Golden: Jacob Brickey Greenville: Vada R. Carrell and Nicholas Helms Honey Grove: Lance Collins, James Hawkins, Franz Hiebert, Johann Hiebert, Casey Robinson, Jordan Robinson and Michael Vickers Lone Oak: Kayla Girven McKinney: Isaac Haywood and Byron Hill Mount Vernon: Blakley Novell Pecan Gap: Jeremy Shetler Pickton: Steven Mills Point: Tristan Hood Powderly: Andre Moraga, Noah Roth, Katherine Sisson, Nick Smock, Roberta Stripland and Tori Taylor Reno: Janie Bryant, Donald Burns and Carl Daniels Roxton: Stuart Edris Royse City: Michael Flores and Calen Luke Lukashay Sulphur Springs: Larry Augenstein, Terri Coggins, Heather Cooper, Kristy Dial, Lauren Duckworth, RowDonna Edwards, Veronica Estrada, Kortney Flanigan, Amy Gross, Lucas Garrison, Wesley Hampton, Ashley Hanson, Lea Hernandez, Rachel Hernandez, Mary Holland, Jeremy Huie, Belinda Johnson, Stormie Johnson, Christina Loudenslager, Patricia Lowe, Melissa Martin, Scott Mason, McKenna Masters, Heston McGarity, Christopher McLaughlin, Sara Patton, Gregory Pfister, Jacob Sperry, Michael Tillery, Heather Underwood, Nichole Valle, Brianna Vasquez and Danielle White Sumner: Peter Giesbrecht, Cornelius Harms, Lena Thiessen and Susana Wolf Wolfe City: Chassidy Plata