Submitted photo | Surry Community College

These Surry Community College students were honored at a General Educational Development Commencement. A total of 199 graduates, 68 with honors, successfully completed their GED credential between July 1, 2011 and June 30, 2012. Valedictorian for the class was Ryan Wenger and Salutatorian was Nathan Harris.

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DOBSON –Nearly 200 students took place in the recent 2012 Surry Community College GED commencement ceremony

A total of 199 graduates, 68 with honors, successfully completed their GED credential between July 1, 2011 and June 30, 2012 to take part.

Valedictorian for the class was Ryan Wenger and Salutatorian was Nathan Harris. The graduates were joined by family, friends and the college and career readiness faculty who work weekly with students to ensure their success.

Graduates entered the graduation ceremony, led by Surry Community College Ambassadors, Jamison Boles, Summer McHone, Olivia McCauley, and Rubi Ocampo to a prelude presented by pianist Carrie Utt, Business and Engineering Technologies Instructional Assistant.

Virginia A. Stammetti, director of College and Career Readiness, welcomed the gathering; she recognized family members of graduates as those who have supported and encouraged their student to reach this educational goal. Tony Searcy, director of Student Activities and Business Advising coordinator, brought the invocation. Students in the English as a Second Language program presented a musical medley organized by Rebecca Swaim, ESL instructor and Rosa Torres, ESL coordinator.

Marion Venable, executive director of the SCC Foundation, presented the graduation address which included a glimpse into the long tradition of support for basic skills and GED students by the Continuing Education staff and faculty. She emphasized that the GED program has provided an educational pathway for those who needed a new direction often due to a high school experience that ended a student’s desire to continue, a life event that became a priority, a learning disability, illness, a lack of support from family, friends or the community, and many more reasons but all are valid and all life changing.

Venable said these GED students have exhibited commitment, desire and determination which brought them to graduation. She encouraged each graduate to use this new credential to pursue a job, support their family, get a promotion, or pursue a college degree, diploma or certificate, but most of all to become an advocate for the GED program.

Dr. David Shockley, president of Surry Community College, and Dr. George Sappenfield, vice president for Corporate and Continuing Education, presented student scholarships and graduate certificates. Graduates, families, friends and college staff enjoyed a reception honoring the graduates in the Knight’s Grill.

Local Surry Community College GED graduates by area included:

•Ararat: Brandie Dalton and Amber Gravely.

•Cana: Jennifer Sizemore.

•Dobson: Misty Atkins, Linda Beck, Garrett Bullard, Corey Dalton, Jessica Duran Hernandez, Jasmine Elizalde, Kevin Forrester, Jack Guastella, Jessica Kaiser, Amber Martin, Jonathan Mauldin, Nicholas Nordstrom, Delana Pennell, Jackeline Roman, Peter Roth, Belem Vargas, Jeffery White, Shayne White, Kimberly Wood, Austin Wright, Austin Plemmons, Ashlee Spillman, Roslyn Stewart and Vincent Angel.

•Elkin: Vincent Angel, Kristin Ayers, Jason Childress, Ryan Cruz, Hunter Dillon, Joseph Hunt III, Joseph Lankford, Michael Larrimore, Billy Lineberry, Hilda Luffman, Brittany Marley, Teresa Marquez, Jennifer Norman, Justin Santiago, Michael Sizemore, Robert Smithey, Alexa Tysor, Joshua Wiles and Tony Wood, Jr.

•Lowgap: Bradley Anthony, Christi Brown, Michael Cave, Jordan Hawks, Cory Lowe, Coty Mayes, Zane Tate and Maegan Watson.

•Mount Airy: Eric Accord, Ginger Beck, Samantha Beck, Christopher Beers, Jacob Bell, William Bennet, James Bentley, Tiffany Boles, Zachary Bonds, Kelli Bosley, Kayla Bowman, Heather Branch, Brittany Bronson, Adam Chase, Ellen Douglas, Jessica Dunning, David Easter, Jr., Justin Ferrell, Austin Foster, Marlaina Hall, William Hall and Araceli Hernandez.

Destiny Hernandez, Guillermina Hernandez, Dustin Hodges, Zachary Horne, Amanda Jackson, Amichael Levesque, Derick Lowe, Veronica Macias, Jordan Marsh, Clauce McCormick, Heather McCormick, Brandon Medley, Daniel Messer, Dustin Oakley, Stephanie Outlaw, Colby Pardue, Clarisa Peele, Tonya Pilson and Abbigale Potter.

Eric Potts, Ana Reyes, Jessie Rogertson, Roman Ruiz, Erika Rumsey, Stephanie Senter, Nathan Snow, Jesi Stevens, Keisha Strickland, Richard Surratt, James Teal, Tamara Thompson, Justin Upchurch, Joshua Williams, Christopher Wright, Megan Yandel, and Janice Arnder.

•Pilot Mountain: Janice Arnder, Logan Jessup and Kimberly Sawyers.

•Pinnacle: Aaron Booze, Cassandra Harper, James Marsh, Kristen Mitchell and Ryan Wenger.

•State Road NC 28676: Rebecca Ashley, Jennifer Hampton, William Martin, Abby Urick and Randy Whitt.

•Thurmond: Samuel Cheek, Christy Hinson and Nancy Purvis.

•Westfield: Amber Boles, Joshua Cox and Carol Mahl.