GED graduates take the stage

Ashley Clark and Arin Wall of Grand Coulee were among ninety of the GED and HS21+ diploma recipients whose accomplishments were celebrated at Big Bend Community College's completion ceremony Wednesday evening, June 11, in Moses Lake.

More than 225 students earned GED certificates through Big Bend Community College's Adult Basic Education/GED Preparation program during the 2013-14 academic year. The work was completed by attending traditional and/or online GED preparation classes and taking the GED tests in key academic subject areas.

Since January 1, 2014, thirty Big Bend Community College students enrolled in basic skills programs in Grant County earned high school diplomas in the HS21+ program specifically designed for students who are at least twenty-one years old. HS21+ aligns with Washington State Adult Learning Standards and the College and Career Readiness Standards and includes competency-based assessments that target gaps in academic learning and work readiness. HS21+ is a pathway for students to build a learning portfolio for high school completion based on prior knowledge, past GED test scores (from the 2002 Series GED exams) work, life, military, and community service experiences. Many students who have some but not all of their high school credits used this program to efficiently meet the requirements for a high school diploma in less than six months.

Students interested in earning a GED certificate or an HS21+ diploma may contact Linda Black at 633-3611, lblack_ged@yahoo.com, or Valerie Wade, (509) 793-2300, valeriew@bigbend.edu for information.