Earning GEDs a momentous moment
BUTLER TWP — Students young and old celebrated their achievements in earning their GEDs this summer through one of two Butler County Community College programs that served more than 200 students.
No matter what prevented them from getting their high school diploma in the first place, the GED recipients celebrating Wednesday night called it an important moment in their lives.
About 30 students, both from BC3 and Summit Academy, participated in the ceremony at BC3's Succop Theater.
Several students said it was pride and a sense of accomplishment they were chasing by completing their high school equivalency.
“Everyone (back home) was thinking I wasn't gong to graduate,” said Vernon Jones, a 17-year-old from Delaware who attended the program through Summit Academy. “This is like proving them wrong; trying to do something with my life.”
Others, like Lou Bennetti of Butler, said they viewed the GED as a chance to wipe away past mistakes and regrets, and a chance to rebuild his life.
“I got tired of ... I'd rather be remembered for my accomplishments than my failures and the mistakes I've made,” said Bennetti.
Bennetti, 39, has worked as an in-home caregiver and companion for senior citizens for years, but he's always had regrets from his high school days. Bennetti said he struggled with narcolepsy as a teenager, and missed so many days of class that he failed to graduate.
After that, Bennetti said, “my life consisted of work and sleep.”
About four years ago he became a born-again Christian, and decided to focus on his education. Bennetti wants to start his own in-home care company, and hopes to pursue certifications this fall.
He called receiving his GED a self-fulfilling moment.
“It was very, very meaningful,” he said. “I would encourage anyone who wants to feel better about themselves. This is where to start.”
For 26-year-old Richard Rhineberger of Butler, earning his GED wasn't just a symbolic gesture. His 2-year-old daughter, Delilah, was a major motivating factor.
Rhineberger said that he was living in Ohio when he started noticing that gas stations were requiring employees to have a high school diploma or equivalent, and realized that he couldn't be the kind of father he wanted to be without going back to school.
“I really had to get my education going so I could provide for my family,” he said. “And if I'm going to be on her about her schooling, I need this. I have to be not only telling her, but showing her.”Rhineberger is enrolled at BC3 for the fall to study network administration.Crystal Kerchersky, 31, of Butler also walked in Wednesday's ceremony. Kerchersky dropped out of high school as a teenager to take care of her ailing father, and had been trying unsuccessfully for years to get her GED on her own. In BC3's Adult Literacy Program, Kerchersky said she found the help and support she needed.“They will not let you give up,” she said.Now Kerchersky is enrolled in BC3's nursing program for the fall and plans to join her husband Ryan — an EMT and firefighter — as a medical professional one day. Her first day of class, Aug. 29, is the same day as the birthday of her 3-year-old son, Ryan Jr.Barb Gade, the literacy program's director, said it's not uncommon for students to need that help and support as they prepare for a cumulative test that covers years worth of information many haven't used since they were teenagers.“A lot of times they need to relearn things they already know,” she said. “We're able to help them blow the dust off.”Twila Snyder, a tutor in the program, was standing on the sidelines Wednesday, like she does each year, marveling at her students' achievements. She said the graduations are special to her because they remind her of why she got involved with the program in the first place: her father, William Gohn.Gohn left school as a teenager to serve in the military, Snyder said. It wasn't until years later that he would earn his GED through a program provided by his employer. He got it in the same year that Snyder graduated from high school.The GED didn't get her father better pay, Snyder said. It conferred something he found far more important.Snyder said she sees that same drive to better themselves in her students, and it fills her with pride each year.“I couldn't be prouder. They're here because they want to be,” she said. “They want to go on and better themselves — and that's a plus.”Those interested in BC3's Adult Literacy Program can call 724-287-8711, Ext. 8350, or visit www.bit.ly/2aMlfz7 for information. Orientation for the program is the week of Aug. 22 or the week of Sept. 5. Most classes begin the week of Sept. 12
