May is a month of celebration, a fresh start to hard work, and a time to congratulate GED graduates.
We want to recognize the incredible effort and resilience of our GED learners. This past year had more obstacles than any of us could have ever imagined, and yet our graduates persevered while preparing for the next milestones in their lives.
Next week is our official GED Grad Week celebration, but we want to use this month as a time to reflect on the grit and determination of our graduates. They not only had to study during a pandemic, but many were working multiple jobs and caring for children that may have been home. In many situations, financial burdens surrounded their every move.
This class of graduates succeeded while navigating virtual learning, social isolation, and limited in-person test and preparation options, all while experiencing the uncertainty of what was to come. Many of these new graduates are also the first to be credentialed through the Online Proctored GED test. They are a testament to why we created the remote testing option and how it is helping students start and complete their journey despite uncontrollable circumstances.
We all enter this graduation season with more awareness about the world we live in, the shortcomings of opportunities for those from historically marginalized communities, and our duty to make this a better place for all. Despite their background and where they started, all GED graduates should know that they have a bright future ahead of them and have educators, colleagues, friends, and family members who are rooting for their success every step of the way. We are all committed to being advocates for GED graduates and their dreams.
Educators, we could not do this without you. I want to thank you for how you have been a part of your learners’ journeys. Your support and dedication have not gone unnoticed. These times have introduced so many challenges to how you reach and connect to your learners. This includes, but is not limited to, adopting virtual learning while balancing the demands of your own families and other commitments during a pandemic. You have been a source of confidence for your learners, and your consistency and adaptation are admirable. We know that you have gone above and beyond, and we are grateful for you.
Let each of us connect with and continue to support our graduates in a way we haven’t in the past. Our graduates have made a monumental achievement in a world turned upside down—a milestone worth celebrating and an inspiration to us all. The sky is truly the limit.
Stay well, stay connected, and let’s keep changing the world one learner at a time.
–Vicki Greene, President of GED Testing Service