The Southwest Adult Education Project is honoring 45 students who have earned the North Dakota General Educational Development diploma (GED) during commencement ceremonies on Wednesday, May 2.
The program begins at 7:30 p.m. in the Dickinson High School Risser Auditorium. Dr. Paul Stremick, Dickinson Public Schools superintendent, is presenting the certificates of achievement. Refreshments are served after the ceremony.
The project includes students who are tested at the Dickinson Adult Learning Center and the Beulah satellite program.
"The GED diploma will get them where a regular high school diploma will. It gets them into college or a job," said Margaret Olheiser, ALC coordinator. "The neat thing about the GED is if all high school seniors took it, three out of 10 would fail it."
The time to finish the GED curriculum depends on skill levels of the student, health issues, time and motivation.
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"We have 45, which is the highest number in more than five years." She said.
The 2006-2007 honor students are Phyllis C. Duttenhefer and Jane K. Heiser, both of Dickinson. They are being inducted into the National Adult Education Honor Society during the ceremonies.
They were recognized for their determination.
"They hung in there. They just wouldn't give up. They set such a wonderful example for others," said Olheiser.
Cassandra A. Sattler, Dickinson, is receiving the award for the highest average GED score from the Dickinson GED Testing Center. The center provides the GED testing for southwestern North Dakota.
Sattler, 18, enrolled in the GED program after she was injured in a car accident in October.
"I missed too many days of school and wouldn't be able to finish my senior year, so I went for the GED," she said.
She studied for and took the five tests in the span of one month. Finishing at the top of the class, she said, "I was very surprised. I was shocked."
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Sattler plans to pusue a degree in information technology, visual communications.
"Cassandra has a goal in mind. Even though she's much younger than Jane and Phyllis. She has goals in mind and she's going to get there," said Olheiser.
Duttenhefer is excited about receiving the degree.
"I started about 1½ years ago. I had to take everything over," she said.
She studied at the Adult Learning Center every Monday through Thursday. She tested in the subjects of math, English, writing, geography and history.
"The writing was the hardest," she said.
At the age of 54, she thought about giving up.
"I thought I'd never make it. It was hard for being out of school for so many years. It was always my goal to get my GED degree and I didn't care how old I was," she said.
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An injury at work helped her decided to return to school.
"I needed to retrain into a different field. I needed to update my education," she said.
She credited the center's staff for its support.
"I couldn't ask for anybody better. They were always there to help you. There were days I felt down and depressed. They were there to lift my spirits," she said.
Her husband Leo, and two grown sons supported her decision to study.
"They were very, very happy," she said.
She encourages others to pursue the degree, no matter what their age.
"It's something to be proud of. I know you work hard, but it's well worth it," she said.
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After receiving her GED degree, Duttenhefer will continue her computer training.
As students celebrate their success, Olheiser encourages others to pursue the GED diploma.
"So many are afraid to come in. It's hard to say I need help. We try to help all we can. Everything is individualized. Confidentiality is maintained," she said.
