November 2007 Ulster BOCES GED Graduates Celebrate Success
Smiles abounded at the annual Ulster BOCES General Educational Development (GED) graduation ceremony that was recently held at the Career & Technical Center in Port Ewen. During this momentous occasion, adult students from across Ulster County were recognized for completing their diploma requirements during the 2006-07 academic year.
For the 75 individuals who achieved their GED diplomas through Ulster BOCES, the value of education is priceless—including increased earning potential over those who do not possess a high school diploma or its equivalent. Education not only benefits the individuals, but also the economy where they live and work.
“This ceremony is very special,” remarked Howard Korn, director of Career & Technical Education and Adult Services, as he spoke to the graduating students who proudly wore their black caps and gowns as their family and friends looked on. “For most of you, your high school experience did not work, but each of you made an important choice to return to school—and you arrived at the Ulster BOCES Adult Career Education Center. What road did each of you travel to arrive at this school? I know each graduate has a unique story—and your stories are inspirational. In the midst of work, raising children, and many other demands, you worked, worked, and worked. There is a well-deserved sense of pride among our graduates and the audience this evening—each of you is a success story.” Korn also went on to applaud the “skilled teachers who worked all around the County” in an effort to educate the students. “You are all wonderful.”
A very special highlight of the evening was The Rose Ceremony, when each student presented a single red rose to the people who made a difference in his or her life, followed by several students who shared touching stories of their GED experiences with their fellow graduates, family, and friends.
Keynote speaker Rose Quinn, a GED teacher who had obtained a GED herself and has gone on to receive two college degrees and is currently working on her third, had wonderful words of understanding and praise for the graduates. “Many of you think your journey is now at an end…your journey is just beginning. I once sat where you sat. I made a decision to drop out of school. That could have been the end of my story, except I was offered a safety net...the GED program, a chance to change the past. The GED is that powerful. GED is the key to many locked doors—the teachers show you the doors, GED unlocks the door, and it’s up to you to step through the door. Don’t look at dropping out of high school as a failure because the only real mistake is from which you learn nothing, and we have learned.”
After the students received their diplomas, Coleen Macaluso, literacy coordinator at Ulster BOCES, closed the ceremony and congratulated the graduating Class of 2007.
The Ulster BOCES Adult Career Education Center’s GED program prepares adults to take the new High School Equivalency Exam. All programs are individualized. Practice tests and teacher guidance help determine the right time to schedule a GED exam. GED preparation may be done at home through GRASP (Giving Ready Adults a Study Program) or in a classroom situation. For more information on the GED program, contact Macaluso at (845) 331-5050.
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