35 students receive GED or high school diplomas at Gadsden State ceremony

Yahoo

11-05-2025

GADSDEN — Thirty-five students earned their GED or high school diplomas during Gadsden State Community College's 2025 Adult Education Graduation Ceremony, held May 1 at Beck Gymnasium on the Wallace Drive Campus.
'Congratulations, graduates,' said Hollie Patterson, director of Adult Education Services. 'You have made the first step in your journey. We want to watch you fly. Enjoy, celebrate and plan your next steps.'
Candida Pedro Aguirre, one of the graduates, was awarded a scholarship worth more than $2,100 to Gadsden State. A married mother of three, Aguirre dropped out of high school but pursued her diploma to set an example for her children. A native Spanish speaker who translates for her Guatemalan parents, she plans to become a professional translator.
All graduates are eligible for one free class at Gadsden State.
Fifteen students earned their GED, which required passing tests in language arts, math, science and social studies. Most utilized the college's free GED preparation courses offered in Calhoun, Cherokee, Cleburne and Etowah counties.
GED recipients included Alex Carson, Clayton Chapman, Mary Cote, Brandon Evans, James Floyd, Lonna Holloway, Jade Holloway, Magen Johnson, Miguel Martinez, Ava Miller, Logan Rosado, Stuart Stanley, Anthony Wallace, Christine Wyatt and Ranie Zvodar.
Twenty additional graduates earned high school diplomas through the Non-traditional High School Diploma Option, a program offered in partnership with the Alabama Community College System and the Alabama State Department of Education. The HSDO allows adults who previously earned partial high school credit or were unable to pass graduation exams to complete their diplomas.
Those receiving high school diplomas were Daisy Watts, Luna Wallen, Santanner Walker, Triston Taylor, Derrick Taylor, Chelsie Loveless Storey, Jessica Roberts, Ryan Pierce, Candida Pedro Aguirre, Lucas Ledbetter, LaTiffani Knight, Billy Manning Hunt, Kristy Hicks, Bessie Hatcher, Ava Fronek, Rodreka Croft, Micki Chambless, Magen Carroll, Byron Tasheem and Christina Aguilar.
Graduates James Floyd, Luna Wallen and Magen Carroll delivered remarks during the ceremony. Dr. Alan Cosby served as the keynote speaker, and Dr. Tera Simmons, executive vice president of Gadsden State, awarded diplomas.
'This is the beginning of a new day for you and your families,' Simmons said. 'You have overcome obstacles and difficulties to come to this defining moment — your graduation. Continue to move forward. Continue to dream. I'm confident that with your hard work, you will achieve your goals.'