Posted: 6/25/03

Beating the obstacles, 91 adults celebrate graduation

Jessica Foster
Staff Writer

It took 19 years and seven schools for Jim Deyo to earn his high school diploma.

But last week, as the Forest Lake man accepted his diploma at the Metro North Adult Basic Education graduation in Blaine, Deyo gave all of the glory to God.

ìI give God the credit for getting over this personal mountain,î he said.

He accepted his diploma, alongside 90 peers from Blaine, Coon Rapids, Centennial, Spring Lake Park, Brooklyn Center, Elk River, St. Francis, Columbia Heights, Fridley and Forest Lake.

For nearly two decades, the diploma seemed out of touch. And every morning it was a challenge to get up and make himself go to school.

Receiving that long sought after diploma, Deyo said, is a relief.

ìIt feels awesomeólike a ton of bricks being lifted off of my shoulder. It opens up a whole new world,î Deyo said.

Deyo said his teachers at the Forest Lake Adult Learning Center made things easier.

ìI thank Jean Anderson and Kathy Hansen for all of their help, energy and patience,î he said. ìThey have truly helped change my life and I am truly thankful there are adult basic education programs for people like me.î

With his degree in hand, Deyo will be giving back to God, as he plans to become a preacher.

Checking the box

Linda Arechiga originally was a member of Coon Rapidsí High School class of 1967.

Until she did not graduate.

ìOne of my secrets I never talked about was the fact I didnít graduate,î she said.

But it was her children, her 14 grandchildren and her nieces and nephews who inspired the woman to finish her degree.

ìThe old saying itís never too late was written for me tonight,î she said in her graduation speech.

After losing her job to downsizing, looking for a new job proved difficult in these tough economic times with a tight job market.

ìI could never check the box that asks if you have a diploma. I never lied, but I probably would if I could,î Arechiga said. ìFinally, I can check the box because I have a diploma.î

And she earned a job, too. Arechiga said she will be working for a Fortune 500 company in Minneapolis.

Proof

Theresa Warner quit school in the tenth grade. Now a mom, she credits her children with inspiring her to earn her GED.

ìI felt like a failure, as if not completing school I couldnít do anything,î she said. ìIíve always had a dream of walking across a stage and earning a diploma. We only have one chance here and itís the choices we made for ourselves that matter.î

In her speech to her fellow graduates, she said she believes they all had dreams.

ìWe are proof that we can accomplish anything no matter what,î she said.

Sarah Sanderson earned her GED at the Blaine Learning Lab. She thanked her teacher, Kathy Carlson for helping her reach this goalóan achievement which will lead to another graduation.

She plans to go to college to become a medical assistant.

ìI donít know what the future holds for me but I know it will be great,î she said.

Jeremy Sutton also has plans for the future now that he has a degree. Sutton earned his GED and now plans to join the Army and would like to work as a communications engineer.

ìI just went down there and passed it right away,î he said. ìI waited this long but Iím glad I got it now.î

American dreams

Aziza Skenderevic was a teenager living in a Bosnian camp. She had never heard of Minnesota, nor Forest Lake. She only knew it was America, and the community would let her live there.

ìI didnít even know what Minnesota was,î Skenderevic said.

When she came here five years ago, she didnít speak a word of Englishósave brief greetings like ìhelloî or ìhi.î

She went to the learning center to learn English and she attended Forest Lake High School where teacher Don Thompson inspired a love for history.

But when Skenderevic became a mother, she dropped out of FLHS with just 6 credits remaining. She finished her high school degree in the same place she learned to speak the language of her adopted nation.

ìIt was harder for me because Iím from Bosnia,î she explained, speaking of word problems in math and other language barriers.

At the Adult Learning Center, she said her teachers Jean Anderson and Linda Gmitter eased the transition. Now, her English is fluent, her accent minimal.

Last week, she received the diploma she worked for so long. And others are on the horizon. In August, she plans to take a test to gauge her career aptitude and interest. Then, college is in the plans.

Perseverance

Dan Poepard, Forest Lake Director of Community Services and a longtime member of the Metro North Adult Basic Education board delivered the commencement address.

He credited the teachers, and family and friends for supporting the graduates.

To the audience, he said, ìI think youíre here because youíre proud of the people on the stageóand boy you should beóand youíre here to be supportive.

The auditorium was filled with family and friendsómany as happy to be in the audience as the graduates were to be on stage, in their blue gowns.

They werenít a quiet bunch. They were a boisterous bunch, an Iíve been waiting to see this for too long and Iím going to show how proud I really am bunch.

And, Poepard credited the graduates for having the perseverance and courage to get their adult diploma and GED.

ìI donít think a lot of people realize how difficult it is to come back and get your adult diploma or GED,î he said. ìThe group up on the stage they have persevered; they have shown their courage.î

What it takes

Students earning their degrees last week earned them one of two waysóadult diploma or GED.

The GED, or tests of General Education Development is a series of five tests including language reading, language writing, math, science and social studies.

To earn an adult diploma, students work to fulfill the requirements of the school they would have graduated from or from Spring Lake Park High School. Students complete classwork in a range of areas and must work independently with the help of their teachers and tutors.

ìIt takes resourcefulness, self motivation and discipline,î Anderson said. ìIt takes a desire to learn and willingness to fulfill the requirements of a diploma.î

Get involved

It is never too late to go back to school.

Metro North Adult Basic Education welcomes new students in Forest Lake, Elk River, St. Francis, Columbia Heights, Brooklyn Center, Spring Lake Park, Centennial and through Anoka Hennepin District at the Coon Rapids Learning Lab.

The learning centers offer assistance in GED preparation, help in working toward the adult diploma, a basic skills refresher, one-on-one reading help and English as a Second Language.

Classes are designed for adults and students can start anytime. There is no charge to attend.

There also is a need for volunteers to help adults learn to read, help in the classroom and tutor foreign born adults in English as a Second Language.

While it can be difficult to go back to school, Deyo encourages others to do what he did.

ìPush on, donít give up. Times are tough but trust in God,î he said.

For more information, call 651-982-8302.

Top of Page