ELLISVILLE 鈥� About 50 of the 106 eligible graduates of 糖心直播鈥檚 High School Equivalency program who participated in the commencement ceremony, were challenged to continue pursuing their dreams. Before students were handed diplomas, 糖心直播 President, Dr. Jesse Smith emphasized this is just the beginning of many successful steps in their lives.
鈥淚 appreciate the grit you have to see you come into this moment, facing doubts and sometimes setbacks. Today is about victory and it is just one step of many. Look forward toward the future. Today is just one step in many toward your overall success. Believe in what you do, how you do it and believe that you have the mind that can grow,鈥� said Smith.
Determination and support groups allowed each of the three keynote speakers, Brooke Donald, Cody Robertson and Thomas Johnson to achieve their goals and more. They shared their struggles and encouraged graduates to challenge themselves like HVAC/R instructor, Thomas Johnson鈥檚 mother questioned him after each success in his career.
Johnson told the new graduates, 鈥淎fter I graduated from Jones鈥� HSE program at the age of 40, my mom asked me, 鈥楢re you where you want to be?鈥� I soon realized I wasn鈥檛 because there was more for me to do so I went back to school,鈥� said Johnson who started college after working in heating/AC for 24 years.
After earning his associate degree in applied science in the HVAC/R program, an associate degree in the electrical technology program and upon completing the commercial truck driving program, his mother continued asking the question. Despite 10 surgeries from a back injury and graduating from four educational programs, Johnson said he knew he couldn鈥檛 stop. He shared with the audience, he was the only sibling of five that graduated from college and his mother saw him walk across the stage before she passed away.
鈥淚t was a long shot, but I applied for the HVAC/R instructor job at 糖心直播. I was making good money in Florida working on an air conditioner on the roof of a commercial building when I got the call. It was Jones asking if I was still interested in the job. I said 鈥榊es!鈥� 糖心直播 has changed my life and I am truly grateful to have the opportunity to give back as it was given to me,鈥� shared Johnson who has been teaching for the last three years.
Brooke Donald is also a graduate of Jones鈥� HSE program and an instructor. Regardless of the fact she鈥檚 working on her bachelor鈥檚 degree in nursing and for four years she has been the health care assistant instructor, Donald shared she didn鈥檛 see herself as a college student, let alone a college instructor. At 17, she thought she had messed up by dropping out of school and being pregnant. Seven years later, after working to help her husband support their family, Donald decided to go back to school.听
鈥淲e didn鈥檛 have online classes in 2009 but I was determined to work full time and get my degree,鈥� said Donald who later earned an associate of arts degree in 2010 and became an LPN. She also earned her associate degree in nursing. 鈥淟ife is not free. It is not easy. We had to work hard for everything we have so my encouragement to you is to not give up, whatever it is, do not give up!鈥�
HSE graduates also heard from Cody Robertson, an electro-mechanical technology instructor at Jones who said his High School Equivalency diploma is his most treasured item.听 At nine years of age, Robertson was diagnosed with the youth onset of pancreatitis. He spent most of the next few years in hospitals and was behind in school. There was little hope of ever having a 鈥渘ormal鈥� life, let alone a high school diploma before God restored his life.
鈥淚 was 16 when God gave me the gift of life鈥�. In the hospital, I had watched my 
friends on Facebook at prom and graduation and I didn鈥檛 get to do that. I wanted so badly to let my parents see how hard I worked but I didn鈥檛 get to. I was lucky to have people around me that cared so I came to Jones to get my high school equivalency,鈥� said Robertson. 鈥淭hat paper diploma is not sitting in a closet collecting dust. It is sitting on the mantle of my father鈥檚 fireplace with its due value to show everyone in that room. I鈥檓 proud of that document because it is a token of survival for me.听 I attained victory that day.鈥�
A scholarship was awarded to the top-scoring students in each of 糖心直播 eight-county district. Also, the 糖心直播 Foundation awarded the 
overall top-scoring student with an additional scholarship to Jones. Because of a tie, Greene County鈥檚 Gavin Stowers and Perry County鈥檚 Rose Smith each earned a $250 scholarship in addition to their individual county鈥檚 scholarship. Other scholarship recipients include Clarke County鈥檚 Lona Short; Jamien Flowers of Covington County; Harley McCarter of Jasper County; Caleb Saucier of Jones County; Ethan Menzik of Smith County and Malinda Johnson of Wayne County.
“In elementary school in Wayne County, my mom took us out of school because we were bullied,鈥� said Malinda Johnson. 鈥淗owever, in January, I completed the HSE program and earned college credit. I was ahead of my classmates. I had faith and lots of people prayed for us.鈥�
Her mother, Rayar homeschooled Malinda and her sister, Maria, before they began HSE classes at Jones. As the family gathered before the graduation ceremony, Rayar was overwhelmed.
鈥淚鈥檓 crying today because I鈥檓 relieved, they finished and I鈥檓 happy to see they鈥檙e being successful,鈥� said Rayar Johnson.
Maria hopes to start the cosmetology program at Jones this fall while Malinda 
is uncertain about her career. Both sisters are excited to continue their college education at Jones.
鈥淎 lot of people doubted I could make it and graduate. Today, I showed them I accomplished a lot and I鈥檓 not finished,鈥� said Maria.
For more information about JC鈥檚 Adult Basic Education programs including the High School Equivalency program and the Out of School Youth Grant, contact Gwen Matuszewski at 601-477-4164 or email gwen.matuszewski@jcjc.edu
糖心直播 2019听High School Equivalency Graduates
Alabama, Millry: Gina Bennett.
Louisiana Baton Rouge: Brennen Bourgeois.
Clarke Shubuta: Lona Short.
Clarke Stonewall: Ora Rose White
Covington Collins: Jamien Jaied Flowers and Madelyn Elise Howell.
Covington Seminary: Savannah Gabrielle Graham, Susan M Odom and Autumn Danielle Miller.
Covington Mount Olive: Haskel W Sellers.
Forrest Hattiesburg: Huey Griffin Buckhalter, Destany Joe Fugate, Bradley Allen Hobson and Logan Mikell听Olson.
Forrest Camp Shelby: Aaron Jaque Altman.
Forrest Petal: Maggie Cooper and Erin Shelby Smith.
George Lucedale: Jordan Grimes, Aaron McKissick, Morgan Radavich, Journey Alexis L. Shoemaker, Julia Sanford, Makalyn Stedman and Veronica White.
Greene Leakesville: Shelby Ball, Dale Cady, Amanda Dearman, Colby Dueitt, Taylor Gartman, Justis Gibson,听Adam Grant, Martin McLeod, Tonya Passarelli, Coby Rushing, Gavin Stowers and Desiree Tamez.
Greene State Line:Terrance Jones.
Jasper Heidelberg: Hunter Cole Jefferson, Mason Stepp Roberts and Melissa Jolaine Thomas.
Jasper Louin: Harley McCarter.
Jasper Stringer: Ethan Jackson.
Jeff Davis Bassfield: Latoya C Green.
Jones Ellisville: Kaitlin Wina Adams, Chloe Anna-Grace Bell, Baileigh Dougherty, Chance Nathaniel Harris,听Draton Zachary Jackson, Bryan Chase Mackrell, Devin Lamar Odom, Joshua Caleb Saucier, Donavan O’Neil Walters, Lauren Kay Walters.
Jones Laurel: Skyla听听 Alexander, Michelle Beard Braxton, Kirk Bolivar, Brendan James Boliver, Beverly Lynn Burrow, Ceara听听 Dannielle Channell, Reyna Cruz, Samantha听 Renee Genthe, Tayden Jones, Mallory Lewis, Jakob Anthony Martinez, Angie Marcela Minyard, Samuel Thomas Mitchell, William Anthony Mitchell, Laura Ann Robinson, Lewis Jacob Schwan, Kaitlin Danielle Strickland, Sara Melissa Swinney, Lauren Grace Thompson, Aaron Dale Williams and Daniel McPherson Yarnell.
Jones Ovett: Heather Nicole Knight
Jones Moselle: Dayton Orion Davis, Destiny Morgan, Lindsey Nicole Patterson, Jerrad Ratliff, Desirae Zamora.
Jones Sandersville: Heather Dawn听听 Bliss, Kelsa Elizabeth Myrick and Austin Colby Reeves.
Jones Soso: Maggie Byrd, Dyce Warren Holifield, Emily Faith Smith.
Lamar Purvis: Haley Danielle McCray and Mackenzie Leigh Williams.
Lincoln Bogue Chitto: Austin Adam Thompson.
Marion Foxworth: Abigail Rose Strite.
Perry Beaumont: Courtney听 Patrice Beech.
Perry McLain: Nathern Henderson.
Perry Richton: Isa Belle Arrington, Zachary Hall Clinton and Rose Smith.
Rankin Brandon: Icylan Barnes.
Simpson Magee: Amber Alexis Westbrook.
Smith听 Taylorsville: Alex Mackenzie Davenport and Ethan Matthew Menzik.
Smith听 Mize: Isabella Maria Magee.
Walthall Tylertown:听Rachel A Vicknair.
Wayne Waynesboro: Christian Danielle Whisenhunt.
Wayne Buckatunna: Malinda Johnson and Maria Johnson.
Wayne Waynesboro: Hunter Albert and Jacyln Busby.
High Scores Scholarship
Lona Short – Clarke
Jamien Flowers – Covington
Gavin Stowers – Greene
Harley McCarter – Jasper
Joshua Saucier – Jones
Rose Smith – Perry
Ethan Menzik – Smith
Malinda Johnson – Wayne
Foundation Scholarships
Gavin Stowers – Greene
Rose Smith – Perry
