Gaining their High School Equivalency degree is giving two adult students an opportunity and now they’re speaking out.

Joyce Simpson and John Davidson graduated this year with their HSE through the St. Joseph School District’s Adult Education and Literacy program.  The district uploaded video interviews with the two last week on its YouTube account.

“I came back for me,” said Simpson. “I grew up and I had to do this.  This was something personal that I wanted to accomplish for me.”

“I couldn’t find the diploma and so I had no other choice but to obtain it again,” Davidson said.   He said he went to school many years ago on the West Coast and then somehow lost his diploma somewhere along the way.

Adult Education and Literacy Volunteer coordinator Trish Heath said around 500 people graduate from the program with their HSE each year.

“We have the classes here for free.  Our next registration will be August 18th,” Heath said. “They just need to bring themselves and be motivated and let us help them get through the process.”

“I was determined,” Simpson said. “I had to take the test the first time and then I flunked math.  I passed everything else.  I was kind of really discouraged at that point.  I didn’t think I could do it but I kept going.”

Simpson said support from her teacher, family and church helped her keep going and she took it again and passed.

Davidson said he was nervous because it had been a long time since he opened up a textbook.

“I like the fact that it seemed more of a one-on-one basis… I can remember being in class with 20 or 30 other people.  You just didn’t get the attention that was given here,” Davidson said. “There’s several opportunities out there now.  Now that I have that piece of paper in my possession once again.”

Registration is coming up for HSE classes August 18th.  Four days of orientation will be held from either 9 a.m. to noon or from 5 to 8 p.m. Classes start the following week at various times options.  Heath said students are asked to take classes for six weeks before trying to take the test.

For more information on the HSE (which replaced the GED test several years ago) contact Webster Learning Center at (816) 671-4020.