CCCC Adult High School/GED grads celebrate achievements
Jan 26, 2008

SANFORD – Sixty-nine-year-old Jewel Bullard looked out over the audience that filled the Dennis A. Wicker Civic Center Thursday. About 1,000 people were gathered for Central Carolina Community College’s Adult High School/GED graduation program.

“Don’t ever let anyone tell you, you can’t reach your goal,” she said. “Set your standards high.”

Bullard lives by her own counsel. She dropped out of high school many years ago to marry her sweetheart. After 43 years of happy married life, her husband passed away. Bullard then decided it was time to reach for a long-delayed goal – her high school diploma.

In March 2007, the Siler City resident enrolled in the CCCC Continuing Education Department’s Adult Education program in Chatham County. She completed the requirements for her General Educational Development diploma in less than a year.

For her accomplishments, Bullard had the honor of being the mace bearer, leading the graduation procession into the Civic Center’s auditorium. She was also one of three student speakers for the event, one from each of the three counties served by the college.

Tina Adams, of Sanford, was the Lee County student speaker.

“It took me 13 years, two children, a divorce and five years at a job where I couldn’t get promoted because I didn’t have a diploma to decide I had to get it,” Adams said. “I know how hard it is.”

She then told the graduates that, in the brief time since she has earned her diploma, she has had two promotions.

Traci Lynn Blackshear, of Lillington, also received her high school diploma. She spoke as the representative of the graduates from Harnett County. Blackshear, a single mother with a young child, thought she would never be able to get a diploma. With the help of CCCC’s Adult High School in Lillington, she set the goal and achieved it.

“We came to a fork in the road, found our path and have come this far,” Blackshear told the graduates. “We have reached the top of the mountain; let us now reach for the stars.”

Alice Gilchrist, dean of Continuing Education, welcomed the graduates and their families and friends to “one of the best nights of your life.”

“What a life-changing opportunity this is for you,” she told the graduates. She said their diplomas would open many doors for them. “We hope this is the first of many graduations for you.”

Graduates who excelled academically wore gold cords with their dark blue robes and were recognized at the ceremony. Twelve of the high school graduates carried a 94-plus grade-point average, while 23 GED graduates scored 3000 on their GED exams. A total of 73 students earned high school diplomas and 196, GEDs. About 110 students took part in the graduation ceremony.

The CCCC Foundation provided scholarships, each worth $600, to three graduates to continue their education. Recipients were: Stephanie Wells, of Sanford; Christy Hall, of Lillington; and Richard Valcarcel, of Siler City. The $1,000 W.B. Wicker Scholarship was awarded to James Wright, of Erwin.

To encourage graduates to continue their education, each received a CCCC Foundation voucher. The first forty to sign up for credit classes at the college can redeem the voucher to take a class at no cost.

Dr. John Slade, vice president/chief academic officer, presented the graduates and Bobby Powell, chairman of the college’s board of trustees, conferred the degrees.