PJC hosts GED graduation ceremony

Published or Revised May 08, 2014

Ceremonies were held for the 180 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 Adam Teer, executive director of 211, CANHelp in Sulphur Springs. CANHelp assists PJC’s GED program with classroom space. “You guys are rock stars!” said Teer. “You have something powerful on your side that no one else has. You have momentum. I would urge you not to lose that. Success is never owned, it is rented, and the rent is due every day. You are your most powerful asset - believe in you.” Teer encouraged the students to continue forward, find their passion and continue their education. He also stressed the importance of reading and meeting new people. “You will be the same person five years from now, except for the people that you meet and the books that you read,” he told the students. McAdamis announced winners of four Paris Junior College scholarships. They include Bonifacia Martinez of Como, the Gaspar Sanchez Memorial Scholarship; Genevieve Goskie of Paris, the Michael A. Folmar Honorary Scholarship; Rusty Jones of Paris, the Lamar County Literacy Council Scholarship; and his mother Jimmie Jones of Paris, the Janie Bonham Scholarship. Students who achieved membership in the National Adult Education Honor Society include Alicia Anderson, Rachel Ballard, Charvis Davis, Carl Garner, Michael Garner, Jessica Gilman, Genevieve Goskie, Eddie Gossett, Maria Guadalupe Mendoza, Jakob Gunnels, Jimmie Jones, Rusty Jones, Bonifacia Martinez, J.T. McCuin, Johnny Neal, Robert Smith, Maribel Soto, Levi Sourjohn, and Aaron Wisdom. 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: Arthur City: Jeremy Carrell and Johnny Showalter Bagwell: Amanda Poor Bastrop: Chelsea Burnett Ben Franklin: Daniel Holladay and Michael Holladay Blossom: Dakota Broun Blossom: Ashton Smith Bogata: Angela Douthitt Bonham: Romana Arguella, Gloria Jacquez, Larry McBride and John Tague Brashear: Vincente Badillo Brookston: Rachel Ballard and Hannah Oatridge Clarksville: Melody Allen, Stephanie Carpenter, Heather Johnson, Rileigh Richardson and Rebecca Segovia Como: Heather Cooper, Bonifacia Martinez and Maribel Soto Cooper: David Aaron Booth, Lisa Holman, Joseph Kellogg, Kelvin King and Chelsey Spears Cumby: Alexandra Folse and Tyler Wiler Dallas: Kindell Brady Deport: Bruce Dodd, Heath Elrod, Lesli Johnson and Levi Sourjohn Detroit Raymond Brock and Andrianna Buckley Dike: Justin Keen Ft. Worth: Samuel Ford Golden: Jacob Brickey Greenville: Estrebertha Escobar, Veronica Escobar, Tess Harrison, Anthony Jones, Kyle Kellum, Linda Spaulding and Brooke Westphan Honey Grove: Guillermo Berg, Franz Hiebert, Johanna Hiebert, Naomi Mills and Cora Storm Ladonia: Ami Morris Leonard: Stephen Pollock Leonard Sabrina Yarbrough Nevada: Thomas Beel Paris: Melissa Anderson, Katamara Austin, Jenny Bean, Marissa Binko, McKala Bishop, Janet Briggle, Sheria Brown, Anayeli Carrillo, Keith Carter, Meagan Clifton, John Croushore, Johnny Crutchfield, Angela Douthitt, Michael Duncan, Karrie Easton, Johanna Eden, Johanna Eden, Tonya Embry, Jessica Epperson, Jessica Epperson, Chelsey Fletcher, Shawn Foster, Hannah Fowler, Carl Garner, Genevieve Goskie, Jakob Gunnels, Aaron Harrison, John Hayes, Monica Hodges, Jimmie Jones, Laura Jones, Rusty Jones, Holly Kelley, Randall Knight, Victoria Lafayette, Payton Lindsey, Amanda Lockwood, Jase Lyttle, Jase Lyttle, Tanner Malone, Keylsie Marshall, Randall Martin, Randall Martinez, Caitlin McElroy, Tina McKinnon, Karen Money, Susana Peters, Brooklyn Ribble, Byron Roberts, Emily Roberts, Sherree Robinson, Dulce Rodriguez, Dulce Rodriguez, Carol Shawhart, Kelsie Simpson, Nicole Smith, Tina Smith, Chelsey Spears, Robin Spriggs, Romello Steward, Krista Tassin, John Thompson, Kristin VanNoord, Denim Waltemath, Julie Wasson, Kalsea White, Richard Willingham, Joseph Wise, Daniel Womack, Justin Wood and Bridgette Worthy Petty: Peter Weiler Pickton: Lovelle Berner Point: Kaitlyn Flanery Powderly: Joseph Canida, Olivia Caraway, Gwen Chamberlain, Noah Roth and Johnathan Smock Quinlan: Kevin Pratt and Tiffany Reynolds Reno: Rian Haggard, Tyler Pirtle and Reno Don Powell Royce City: Samanth Gattis and Tanya Lamb Sulphur Springs: Casey Kerr, Larry Augenstein, Debra Bowman, Tiffany Brooks, Chase Cadena, Teri Coggins, Ashlyn Davis, Avery Gibson, Maria Gonzalez, Berkley Gray, Joshua Harmon, Lance Haygood, Cashius Hernandez, Rachel Hernandez, Forrest Jeter, Garrett Lockhart, Enlin Mantha, Tamara Morales, Diana Ortiz, Sara Patton, Jennifer Smith, Alexis Tolly, Bradly Winton and Brittany Wise Sumner: Armando Doerksen, Abram Fehr, Eva Fehr, Jacob Fehr, Jake Fehr, Cornelio Loewen, Jacob Peters and Zachary Pool Telephone: Cornelius Froese and Franz Froese Wolfe City: Xavier Plata Yantis: Eddie Gossett