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Business News
PITTSBURG —
It was a long time before Georgiana Holstrom could finish up her high school education. Three kids and a great deal of life will do that.
She was 16 when she stopped her schooling, and it was another 16 years before she finished. But Sunday, with her girls taking photos and filming the ceremony on their cameras, Holstrom walked across the stage in full cap and gown with the knowledge that her high school education was finally complete.
“This is a great reward,” Holstrom said. “It gives my kids something to look forward to. I’m trying to teach them to stay in school, and to set goals and finish them until the end.”
Holstrom was one of 21 who walked across the stage on Sunday at Lincoln Center for his or her completion of the GED requirements.
All told, 40 people have passed the GED (General Education Development) tests in the last year through the Pittsburg Adult Education Center.
The test is currently divided into five sections with a maximum of 800 points on each section. Of the 38 people willing to be acknowledged for their completion of the GED, 13 graduated “with honors,” meaning a score above 2750, while another seven were considered in the “3000 Club” for their score.
Bracken Wolfe, one of those who graduated with honors, was chosen to speak at the graduation ceremony.
“I believe everyone in this room has courage in one way or another,” Wolfe said. “Make no mistake, we accomplished something great in our lives.”
Adult Education Center Director Karen Sooter said the GED recognition is a significant day for all involved.
“You have the ability to go further. Remember this day,” Sooter told the graduates. “This is proof of what you can do. No one can take that away from you.”
Sooter called this a landmark day and pointed to the number of students, like Holstrom, who would go on to some sort of higher education, or others who needed the GED in order to reach their next goal in life. But no matter how they got to this point, the future is open for these graduates.
“They came here with all kinds of circumstances,” Sooter said. “Everyone had experienced a different story. For some, it was a big struggle because they were not good students originally in school. They had issues in K-12. But they all got to the point where they realized they can’t reach their goals without at least a high school education.”
The test will change in structure come 2014, with many of the multiple choice-style answers being replaced by short answer and essay questions. Sooter said those wanting to complete their GED should make the choice now.
“If you want to take the GED, we recommend you do so in the next year. It’ll be a more intense test,” she said.
It was a long time before Georgiana Holstrom could finish up her high school education. Three kids and a great deal of life will do that.
She was 16 when she stopped her schooling, and it was another 16 years before she finished. But Sunday, with her girls taking photos and filming the ceremony on their cameras, Holstrom walked across the stage in full cap and gown with the knowledge that her high school education was finally complete.
“This is a great reward,” Holstrom said. “It gives my kids something to look forward to. I’m trying to teach them to stay in school, and to set goals and finish them until the end.”
Holstrom was one of 21 who walked across the stage on Sunday at Lincoln Center for his or her completion of the GED requirements.
All told, 40 people have passed the GED (General Education Development) tests in the last year through the Pittsburg Adult Education Center.
The test is currently divided into five sections with a maximum of 800 points on each section. Of the 38 people willing to be acknowledged for their completion of the GED, 13 graduated “with honors,” meaning a score above 2750, while another seven were considered in the “3000 Club” for their score.
Bracken Wolfe, one of those who graduated with honors, was chosen to speak at the graduation ceremony.
“I believe everyone in this room has courage in one way or another,” Wolfe said. “Make no mistake, we accomplished something great in our lives.”
Adult Education Center Director Karen Sooter said the GED recognition is a significant day for all involved.
“You have the ability to go further. Remember this day,” Sooter told the graduates. “This is proof of what you can do. No one can take that away from you.”
Sooter called this a landmark day and pointed to the number of students, like Holstrom, who would go on to some sort of higher education, or others who needed the GED in order to reach their next goal in life. But no matter how they got to this point, the future is open for these graduates.
“They came here with all kinds of circumstances,” Sooter said. “Everyone had experienced a different story. For some, it was a big struggle because they were not good students originally in school. They had issues in K-12. But they all got to the point where they realized they can’t reach their goals without at least a high school education.”
The test will change in structure come 2014, with many of the multiple choice-style answers being replaced by short answer and essay questions. Sooter said those wanting to complete their GED should make the choice now.
“If you want to take the GED, we recommend you do so in the next year. It’ll be a more intense test,” she said.
