Summer graduation ceremony held for Adult Education

Clio resident Eva McRae has had a dream since she was 17 years old – to graduate from high school.

On Tuesday evening, she walked across the stage of Bennettsville Intermediate School to receive her diploma as part of the 2022 Summer Commencement Ceremony for Marlboro County Adult Education.

McRae was one of 19 graduates to receive either a high school diploma or a General Equivalency Diploma.

She gave the testimonial for the graduating class. She said that God will give each of them a dream.

“No matter what, you never let it go,” McRae said “You press it in your heart and like a heartbeat, you carry it everywhere you go.”

At the age of 17, McRae got pregnant. She had to decide whether to go to school or get a job.

“I made the decision to get a job because I didn’t want anyone to take care of my child,” she said.

In 1971, she took a third shift job at the JP Stevens plant. McRae tried to go to school in the afternoon but couldn’t do both, so she chose to work.

She said she never gave up on her dream but continued to work and raise her child.

“I’m thankful that I did because he’s a blessing to me,” she said. “I just want to tell him, ‘thank you for being blessing, motivator and inspiring me to reach my goals. Thank you Tony Bethea. I love you.’”

McRae worked at JP Stevens for 37 years until the mill closed.

“But I never stopped dreaming,” she said. “I still had the desire to graduate from high school.”

It was a rough time for her because, at the same time the plant closed, her husband died and she was trying to get a job with no high school diploma.

She wondered what she would do. Should she go back to school after 40 years?

In 2008, McRae decided to go back to work in the cafeteria at Clio Elementary Middle School.

When she retired from there in 2019, she still had her dream.

“I raised three children, married, lost my husband and my parents,” McRae said. “I had worked and reached retirement age, but had not achieved my education goal. I still had a dream.”

In September 2021, she went back to school. McRae talked about the hours spent studying, attending class, babysitting, serving the community, doing grandmother’s duties, and overcoming things.

“I did not quit,” she said. “I did not give up on myself. I did not give up on my dream. So, I’m here today, a proud graduate after more than 50 years of dreaming. I reached my goal.

McRae thanked God, her teachers, family, and her classmates.

“Thank you, my classmates that walked this path with me,” she said. “I love you. I never gave up on my dream. I encourage you to dream your dream and live your dream. Don’t give up on your dreams. No matter how hard and how long it takes.”

The 2022 Summer graduates were James Alford, Crystal Lee Lohman Ashburn, Heather Nichole Brown, Shaqualia Antwanette Brown-Respass, Ta’Von Douglas Covington, Marsha Quick Drayton, Veronica Ellerbee, Julyana Marie Farino, Eliza Kena-Lynette Ford, Zay’Quavius Prentiss Foster, Maurice Xavier Hepburn, Raneeka Shonta McKinnon, Eva Mae McRae, Diane Pate, Aaron Joshua Schuler, LaQashia Jamicka Smith-Brown, Nathaniel Curtis Stubbs, Penny Dee Tolson, and Andrew Dean Williams.

Julyana Marie Farino earned her high school diploma and had the highest GPA in the Adult High School diploma program.

Eliza Kena-Lynette Ford had the highest combined score in the GED program for the 2021-22 year.

Speaker

Pastor and founder of St. Michael Hope Ministries Incorporated Michael Woodham was the speaker for the ceremony.

He said he was honored to be a speaker because he once sat there in the seats where the graduates were.

Woodham said he was a high school dropout just like most of his family members.

“I broke the curse,” he said.

In 1989, he left Brooklyn, New York with just the clothes on his back. He wanted a change and knew it meant going back to school.

“This was the place for my new beginning. I didn’t know that there was a whole new opportunity out there.”

He used several words to illustrate his point — illumination, revelation, manifestation, and implementation.

He told the class of 2022 that the staff at Adult Education cared about them just as much as they cared about themselves.

He added good people were placed in our lives to help us through life’s journeys and push us to achieve our life goals.

Woodham told them that Tuesday was the beginning of their future after receiving their high school diploma or GED. But to go further and get their college degree.

“Every time you think of me, see yourself in your transformation by saying if Mr. Woodham could do it, so can I,” he said.

He concluded his remarks with Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through Christ, which strengthened me.”

Vocalist Lanita Benton-Lowe shared with the graduating class that she graduated from Adult Education.

“With great determination, you can do anything,” she said. “If you just keep fighting and keep pressing, you will get to your goal and just keep going.

Marlboro County Adult Education Director William Jorgensen said every graduate received a $500 scholarship from Northeastern Technical College to help them continue their education journey.

He used “Run Forrest, run” from the movie, Forrest Grump, to motivate the graduates.

“Tonight is a celebration in time for you,” he said. “We want you to celebrate, but then we want you to start running to NETC, a four-year college, an employer to get a job, or the military to serve your country. That’s what this GED or high school diploma opens up for you. Don’t ever forget it.”