Lone Star College-Montgomery celebrated the accomplishments of more than 55 students at the annual General Education Development (GED) graduation ceremony, held Tuesday, May 11, in the college’s theatre (Building D). The ceremony honored more than 200 students who took the preparation course and passed the GED exam during the past year, marking an important step in their lives.
 
“I received lots of support from my friends during the year that I was enrolled in the GED program,” said Jacqueline Duveau, a resident of The Woodlands. “The teachers were extraordinary—very helpful. Math was the hardest for me, but I got through it.”
 
Duveau, who was homeschooled throughout her high school years, plans to enroll at LSC-Montgomery this fall, with eventual plans to transfer to Texas A&M, majoring in psychology and English literature.
 
For Michael Allen, “being an inspiration to others—including my two children,” was a driving force in his completion of the GED program.
 
“School violence stopped me from completing my high school degree 15 years ago,” said Allen, a Conroe resident. “I should have done this a long time ago, but I’ve done it now. The GED instructors have a passion for helping the students, and they inspired me by going above and beyond to make sure we reached our goal.”
 
Allen recently completed a hydraulic and diesel mechanic certification program and has interviews lined up for several job opportunities.
 
LSC-Montgomery has offered GED testing and test preparation for years; however, this is just the third year that the college has recognized the hard work of the students through a graduation ceremony.
 
“Everyone—staff, faculty, and community members—knows what it is like to face challenges along the way, so we were glad to celebrate our students’ success and encourage them to continue their education,” said Megan Costanza, interim director of continuing education at LSC-Montgomery.
 
During the ceremony, a scholarship drawing was held with hopes to spawn deeper interest in higher education. The two winners, Krysten Mills and Samantha Peterson, were each honored with a $500 scholarship to put toward continuing their education at LSC-Montgomery.

“We hope all the students continue on to pursue either a credit or continuing education program that can further their career and improve their life,” said Dr. Christina Hinkson, executive director for continuing education for Lone Star College System. “All of us are excited about the future possibilities of each student and the success that awaits them.”
 
Dr. Austin A. Lane, president of LSC-Montgomery, presided over the ceremony, and a reception for the graduates and their friends and families immediately followed.
 
The GED program—first developed to provide returning World War II veterans with an opportunity to earn high school credentials—has served as a bridge to education and employment opportunities for an estimated 15 million since 1942. Today, approximately one in seven high school diplomas issued in the United States each year is a GED diploma.
 
LSC-Montgomery offers both the GED review course and GED test, and students must be 17 years of age or have parent of guardian permission to take either one.
 
During the GED review class, students use specialized computer software and work independently on the computer with the guidance of an instructor to prepare for the GED test, which includes sections on writing, math, science, social studies, and language arts and reading.
 
The college also offers both the full and partial GED test—both in English and in Spanish.
 
The GED preparation and testing center is located at Lone Star College-Conroe Center, which is currently located off of Highway 105 at 102 Longview Street in Conroe, just east of downtown Conroe.
 
For more information about the college’s GED program, call (936) 271-6000.
 
LSC-Montgomery is located at 3200 College Park Drive, one-half mile west of Interstate 45, between Conroe and The Woodlands. For more information about the college, call (936) 273-7000, or visit www.LoneStar.edu/montgomery.
 
With more than 62,000 students in credit classes in spring 2010, and a total enrollment of nearly 85,000, Lone Star College System is the largest institution of higher education in the Houston area, and the second largest and the fastest-growing community college system in Texas. LSCS consists of five colleges including LSC-CyFair, LSC-Kingwood, LSC-Montgomery, LSC-North Harris, and LSC-Tomball, six centers, LSC-University Park, LSC-University Center at Montgomery, LSC-University Center at University Park, Lone Star Corporate College, and LSC-Online. To learn more visit LoneStar.edu.