Achievement: Adult High School graduates set a standard for success

There were more than a few tears in the audience at the Adult High School graduation at Wayne Community College Thursday.

Some were from those watching the graduates turn their tassels -- family and friends who know just how long a road it is to earn a high school diploma while trying to live in the real world.

Others were from the graduates themselves, who realized in that moment that their lives were about to change forever.

It is not easy making the decision to go back to school -- especially high school.

The circumstances that made the student decide not to finish high school have now been replaced by the real-world problems of keeping a job and, in some cases, raising a family.

It takes courage and determination to get up every day, to go to class, to do the homework after a full day of work or taking care of your children.

And not everyone can make such a commitment -- or finish it.

But the more than 200 people who turned their tassels and accepted their diplomas on Thursday achieved something more than simply a status change and a certificate.

They set an example -- for their children, their friends and for others who might also find themselves in the same predicament.

They proved it can be done.

There are many reasons to look up to the young men and women who became members of the Adult High School Class of 2015.

But one of the most important is that they made the decision to seek something better for themselves and their families.

And after setting their goal, they did it.

They modeled a behavior that we will see again, too. All you had to do to know for sure is to look into the eyes of the graduates' children. We call it hero worship.

Many of the newly minted graduates have plans to continue their educations, with career goals already on their minds.

They know it won't be easy. They know it will take dedication and tough choices.

But they will get there. That is for sure.

And in a few years, we will hear their names again -- this time as they accept college diplomas and prepare to enter their new careers.

And they will have proven once again that you can accomplish anything you set your mind to -- if you believe in yourself.

Published in Editorials on May 15, 2015 11:05 AM