Bowling Green Technical College held their annual General Education Development (GED) Graduation and recognition ceremony Friday, June 8, 2012.
Of the approximately 150 adults who have passed the GED test this year, approximately 40 participated in the ceremony. Graduates ranged in age from 16 to 85 years old and were from Bowling Green and the surrounding region.
One of the graduates who will be participating in the ceremony was Frank Smothers, an 85 year old World War II Veteran and lifetime professional Jockey.
Mr. Smothers tried to sign up for the Navy when he was 15 but was turned down because of his weight and height. After that he embarked in a successful career as a jockey. He enlisted in the US Army in 1944 and served on active duty in the Philippines during World War II and the Korean War.
Smothers made the decision to work on obtaining his high school diploma at the BGTC Adult Education Center to fulfill a request of his recently deceased wife.
On June 4, 2012 Frank was able to declare “mission accomplished” when he received word that he had passed is exam.
“Our students are dedicated to furthering their educational goal and pursuing their dreams,” states BGTC Adult Education Manager Mary Ford. “We have several graduates who are going on to college and others are enrolled in occupational training areas,” says Ford.
Jim Berger, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Adult Education at Western Kentucky University gave the commencement address to this year’s graduating class.
The Bowling Green Technical College Adult Education Center provides GED preparation, remediation in reading, writing, and math, and English as a second language (ESL). Services are located at Bowling Green Technical College and the Warren County Regional Jail for those who are incarcerated.
This year’s graduates were:
* Designates Honor Graduate Auburn, KY Evan Hartwell, Joshua Smith* Bowling Green, KY Terri Abernathy, Codi Adams, Damber Adhikari, Dustin Anderson*, Josue Andrade*, Angela Appleby, Corey Aviles*, Esther Ayeni*, Jessica Barlow, Robbie Baxter, Bradley Beach*, Terry Bell, Jacob Bennett*, Sera Berisa, Jacob Bisel*, Michael Bishop, Chris Brown*, Jacqueline Brown, Desiree Bryant, Sarah Buchner*, Savanah Burch, Dominique Cantrell*, Patrick Cardwell*, Dorian Carter, Dylean Clark, Robert Clayton III, Shelly Compton*, Kelsey Crafton*, Krystal Crain*, Kathleen Creasey, Michael Crowe, Marquite Dewalt, Elder Diaz Cantarero, Markesha Dice, Khanh Doan*, Kimberly Doyle, David Duke, Vickers Emmanuel*, Rhonda Epling, Wendy Essig*, Casey Fergerson, Jennifer Fink*, Misty D. Forshee, April Gammon, Brandon Gaskill*, Cynthia Glass, Meagan Glore*, Erica Golike*, Mitchell Graham, Ray Guffey*, Jerell Harbin, Tevin Henderson*, Trevor Hill, Anthony Huddleston*, Kristie Hudson*, Travis Hudspeth*, Casey Jackson*, Ling Jackson, Melvin Jenkins, Steven Johnson, Nathan Jones Jr., Debra Jones*, Danielle Jopling*, Insu Kim, Danielle Kinser*, Jessica Kinser*, Nermin Klapic, Sonya Lane*, Heather Lewis, Charles Long, Cindy Lopez*, Jessie Martin*, Rodney Martin, Emily Massey, Justin Massey*, Melissa Massey, Sherrie McGuffey, Brandon McKee*, Ashley Meeks, Jacob Miller, Paul Montgomery*, Kimberly Mooney, Vincent Moreno, Aki Mori, Robin Mullican, Shae Murray, Warren Nash, Amilcar Ochoa, Patrick Oliphant, Sandra Parker, Wendy Partain, Leslie Patterson*, Dalton Payne, Amanda Penders, Jayson Phillips, Charla Potter*, Lachrisha Poytner, Valerie Quillen*, Tara Ray, Christy Reeder, Edna Reyes Ochoa, Steven Robbins*, Craig Rose, Latosha Scantland, Suzana Secic*, Crystal Shirley, Corey Smith, Eric Smith, Laura Smith, Xavius Smith, Frank Smothers, Angie Still, Cody-Stratton*, Danielle Swaim, Meaghan Swaim*, James Swindle*, Tomoko Takagi*, Robert Taylor*, Johnetta Thomas, Mecca Traughber, Amber Turner, Angel Violett, Bezaleel Virgen*, Scott Wade, Carol Warner, Dustin West*, Amy Whitaker*, Billy Williams*, Kristal Williams, Roxanne Williams, Johnny Wilson*, Gary Wimpee, Randy WoodsFranklin, KY Robin Gregory, Brenda Logan, Nicki Roberts, Sadie Zebert*Madisonville, KY Joshua Bartlett*Morgantown, KY William Cox, Dalton Hardin, Karrie Morris* Rockfield, KY Shayla Cozart*, Joshua Haley, Zackary Powell*Russellville, KY Matthew Bowers* Scottsville, KY Victoria Boyd*Smiths Grove, KY Crystal Gambrel, Dustin Hayes*, Johnathan Neukomm, Michael Smith