Nearly 200 students graduate GED course at PJC

Published or Revised May 12, 2011

Nearly 200 students successfully met testing requirements to receive diplomas at ceremonies held for general education development (GED) graduates Tuesday, May 10. Dwight Chaney, vice president of academic studies, welcomed the graduates, family and friends. Counselor Mike Folmar gave the invocation. Director of Adult Education and Family Literacy Louisa Kessel introduced GED graduate Debbie Helliwell of Paris. When Helliwell received her GED four years ago she was nominated for membership in the National Adult Honor Society. Helliwell currently works as a secretary for the Paris Junior College Distance Learning Department. Helliwell stated, "The greatest gift that came from my GED diploma was the job opportunity it afforded me and the chance to work toward a college degree." Keynote speaker Frank Minton, a retired educator with 40 years of service, is from Crockett, Texas. He is a graduate of the University of Corpus Christi and received his master's degree from Sam Houston State University. Among the honors and awards Minton has received is Citizen of the Year award from the Crockett Area Chamber of Commerce; Distinguished Volunteer Award from the Texas 4H Council; and the American Bowling Congress Perfect Game Award. He won Best BBQ at the World Champion Barbeque contest in Houston. In addition to his educational career, Minton has been a businessman, radio broadcaster, auctioneer, humorist and motivational speaker. Minton told the graduates that it took three things to get them to this place in their educational pursuits; courage, confidence, and a cause. He said, "You had the courage to begin, a can-do attitude; you've gained confidence by putting your courage to use; and you had a cause that you worked toward and completed. Stand proud and never let anyone tell you that a GED diploma is a second rate education. It is not, it is adult education that you can now apply toward greater goals." Scholarships of $250 each to attend Paris Junior College were awarded to three outstanding students. Joann Queen-Gokey of Sulphur Springs was presented the Bobby R. and Imy Walters Scholarship. The Mike Folmar Honorary Scholarship went to Michael Malone of Paris. Jennifer Livingston of Powderly was awarded the Rotary Club of Greater Paris Scholarship. Nominations to the National Adult Education 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. Students who achieved membership in the Honor Society are Russell Bearden, Karim Budhwani, Pamela Dean, Donald Farris, Rene Garcia, Rashad Hall, Jacob Helsel, Lorna Lewis, Jennifer Livingston, Michael Malone, Brandi O'Neal, Joann Queen-Gokey, Brentany Rodgers, Zella Rubio, Earline Tubb, and Haley Williams. Graduates and their hometowns include: [b]Paris:[/b] Robert Anderson, Brenda Ausburn, Jency Bailey, Amberly Bean, Roderick Biggels, Rebecca Birdwell, Joshua Bowles, Brandess Collins, Shaquanda Cotton, Chasity Davidson, Pamela Dean, Portia Epperson, John Fearn, James Dustin Foster, Levi Frazier, Jeff Freeman, Amanda Goss, Jessica Green, Ryan Greene, Brenda Haley, Daniel Hamilton, Jacob Helsel, Dylan Hensler, Heather Hoffman, Billy Holland, Sarah Hullinger, Robert Johnson, Robert Johnson Jr., Morgan Jones, Shelby Justiss, Lydia Kenerly, Alycia Kennedy-Blake, Chase Kreais, Reginald Lane, Sammatha Litchfield, Michael Malone, Matt McGill, Nicky Nignight, Joanne Nyce, Randy Offutt, Brandi O'Neal, Kaylene Parson, Sarah Pate, Miranda Posey, Clinton Reid, Jason Roam, Charles Sampson, Brittany Sanders, Robert Sheffield, Stephanie Simer, Larry Sisson, Devonica Sugg, David Swint, Robert Taylor, Steven Tuck, Elizabeth Valdez, Paul Welch, Kenneth Wallace, Matthew Williams [b]Annona:[/b] David Gordon, Heather Rayburn [b]Arthur City:[/b] Cindy Christopher [b]Ben Franklin:[/b] Shashi Byram [b]Blossom:[/b] Morgan Buchanan, Alexandra Drake, Seth Fentress, Jeremy Hughes, Sara Lane, Lorna Lewis, Juddie McFadden [b]Bogata:[/b] James E. Bailey, Nolan Edwards, Valerie Holmes, Christine Jones, Cody Maness, Valerie Vaughan [b]Bonham:[/b] Brock Aguilar, James Stephen Carpenter, Steven Lance Taylor [b]Brashear:[/b] Canyon Sickles [b]Brookston:[/b] Rochelle Glover [b]Clarksville:[/b] Tiffany Applegate, Derke Atnip, Adam Ramon, Dennis Robinson, Kelsi Smart, Jacob Wooten [b]Como:[/b] Russell Bearden, Magan Shelby [b]Cooper:[/b] Aleasha Bennett, Shalei Felts, Ashley Holtfreter, Cody Pryor, Earline Tubb, Vickie Turner, Lisa Wilson [b]Emory:[/b] Michael Jason Hammers, Kaitlynn Hogue, Josh Klopfenstein, Brentany Rodgers [b]Detroit:[/b] Robert Giesbrecht, Stephanie Sabin [b]Forney:[/b] Brandon Darrow [b]Greenville:[/b] Paula Holt [b]Honey Grove:[/b] William Scott Dudley, Kathy Frizzell, Emmit Hill, Thomas Perkins, Eva Peters, Marc Rodriguez [b]Hughes Springs:[/b] Samantha Heien [b]Klondike:[/b] Marissa Keim [b]Ladonia:[/b] Jennifer Marshall [b]Lake Creek:[/b] Jordyn Glossup [b]Mineola:[/b] Douglas Hawkins [b]Mount Vernon:[/b] Weston Gregory [b]Pattonville:[/b] Matt Merritt [b]Pickton:[/b] Julia Acosta [b]Pittsburg:[/b] Treva Phifer [b]Point:[/b] Robert Howard [b]Powderly:[/b] Cesido Cedrone III, Dillinger Griffith, Durrell Hamil, Rocky Johnson, Shellie Johnson, Savanna Keegan, Shawn Large, Joe David Lawson, Jennifer Livingston, Nathasha Lorta, Jocelyn Moody, Aaron Perry, Katherine Sisson, Roberta Stripland Quinlan:[/b] Christopher Barbour Reno:[/b] Steven Glenn Beckham, Katie Koehn Rockwall:[/b] Dakota Crouse Roxton:[/b] Larry Clark Sherman:[/b] Richard Hubbard II [b]Sulphur Springs:[/b] Shannah Alexander, Kathryn Baxley, Karim Budhwani, Phyllis Cox, Antonio Cruz, Katelyn Davis, Jokten Denton, Catrina Embry, Donald Farris, Jamie Fortenberry, Stefani Foster, Rene Garcia, Amy Gilbert, Juventino Govea, Rashad Hall, Steven Hanson, Lori Hill, Courtney Holt, Jaime Holt, Chase Hudson, Michael Mackey, Wadena Maksoud, Savannah McCarty, Michael McPherson, Ty Modesitt, Kendall Parks, Courtney Patton, Stefani Peter, Blaine Pierce, Joann Queen-Gokey, Dylan Ragan, Zella Rubio, Melissa Sanchez, Jody Savage, Angie Schott, Eileene Sharma, Sarah Snider, Michael Tillery, Michole Vargas, Brianna Vasquez, Tiffany Wade, Kim Wagner, Danielle White, Hayley Williams, LaTarra Young [b]Sumner:[/b] Gina Clark, April Hackler, Rodney Rempel, Anthony Seat, Lena Thiessen, Anni Unger, Susana Wolf [b]Texarkana:[/b] Katina Cherry, Robin Culbertson, Heather Underwood [b]Winnsboro:[/b] Ethan Moseley [b]Yantis:[/b] Mary Denton [b]South Portland, Mass.:[/b] Brian Merrill Director of Learning Skills Pam Hunt gave the Benediction. Following the ceremonies, graduates were joined by family and friends in an outdoor reception.