On May 24, 2012, the Fredericton Sunrise Rotary Club (new window), in conjunction with the Central Valley Adult Learning Association, held their annual General Education Development (new window) (GED) graduation in Fredericton (new window), New Brunswick (new window). Bev Grasse, president of the Fredericton Sunrise Rotary Club and employment specialist at the Neil Squire Society’s Atlantic Regional office, along with a team of dedicated Rotarians, coordinated the tremendous event. Ms. Grasse states that she is proud to be part of the GED graduation, which the Sunrise Rotary has been sponsoring for about fourteen years, and feels it gets “more inspiring” every time.

There was only standing room left as eighteen dedicated adult learners accepted their well-deserved GED diplomas during a ceremony that symbolized the months, even years, of their hard work and struggle. This year’s GED graduation ceremony was literally “dripping” with emotion. Family, friends, and teachers could not hold back tears as they watched their loved ones accomplish their goals before their very eyes. Danielle, teacher at the Neil Squire Society (new window) recounts her experience at the GED graduation:

“When the music began and the graduates walked in, heads held high, I reflected on their experiences in my class: the unlikely friendships they made, the encouragement they gave their classmates, and the day they mastered their toughest subject. I thought about their journeys. They all had moments where they were discouraged and exhausted, and they had moments of celebration and confidence. That’s why the graduation is so emotional. Each of them had the perseverance to stick with it, to claim a better future for themselves. Each person left the Lodge that night inspired by the courage and determination of the graduates.”

The richness of the graduates’ stories clearly captured the hearts of all those in attendance. First, there was the story  of Rodney and his unparalleled dedication. Even after writing his GED exams in February, he continued to attend classes until he received his results. Rodney passed all five GED exams on his first attempt. What is even more impressive is that he accomplished all of this while working full-time.

Another story that clearly affected the audience was that of Jeannette. During the GED ceremony, Jeannette spoke about her negative experiences in school as a child and how she was made to feel dumb by her classmates, friends, and even some teachers. When she got pregnant in grade nine and was labelled a “bad influence,” she felt she had no other option but to drop out. Jeanette knew that education was very important, so at age seventeen she began her long journey to getting her GED diploma (new window). For close to twenty years, Jeanette went through many ups and downs in pursuit of her GED, including being diagnosed with a learning disability (new window) and meeting some very influential people along the way. She credits much of her success to her teachers in the Community Adult Learning Program, as well as to her husband. He was always an encouraging force in her life, telling her that she could do it and that she is a smart woman. As she walked across the floor to accept her GED diploma, the voice of her teenage daughter rang out in the crowd saying, “I love you, Mom!”

These are just two of the stories among the group of GED graduates, but undoubtedly every other graduate in that room has a story just as rich and just as inspiring. Heartfelt congratulations go out to all the graduates.

As the ceremony drew to a close, Barbara sang a beautiful rendition of “Dream the Impossible Dream” in honor of the graduates. However, what the graduates realized on this evening was that their dreams were not impossible at all.