Thursday evening in the midst of an already moving graduation ceremony, three generations of one family celebrated the milestone together.
Grandmother Florence Tracy-Girven and daughter Debby Emmons-Dixon both completed their high school diploma through the Traverse Bay Area Intermediate School District's Adult Education program. Granddaughter Carolyn Dixon, who had received her diploma from Traverse City West Senior High School the previous weekend, went up on stage for a poignant photo of the trans-generational achievement.
"It's awesome, for them both to go back and get diplomas, even though they didn't need it,” said Dixon, who will attend Northwestern Michigan College next fall to pursue a degree in accounting. "I'm proud of them.”
At the beginning of her daughter's senior year, Emmons-Dixon decided to go back and finish her high school degree, putting two generations on track for a spring graduation. Emmons-Dixon then began pushing her mother to learn from her old high school what credits she needed.
Soon Tracy-Girven had signed up to complete her diploma and the trio worked on papers, did homework and studied together. The two non-traditional students attended school from 4-9 p.m. three nights a week, working through needed classes at their own pace.
"I always wanted to go back and get my diploma but under circumstances I never did get to go,” recalled Tracy-Girven, who lives in Bear Lake and stayed at her daughter's house in Grawn on school nights.
"She kept talking to me, 'C'mon mom!'” Tracy-Girven added of her daughter's cajoling and determination. "She sent me info [on the Adult Education program] and they sent to Frankfurt High School for my information and they found out I only needed 3.5 credits to graduate. So she was, 'Mom you just gotta!'”
Thirteen other adults received their high school diplomas that night. The graduation evening also acknowledged 45 students who finished their GED and ten students who completed their CENA certificate — including Emmons-Dixon.
Family combinations are rare but not unheard of as the Adult Education program previously sported a husband-wife team and a mother-son combination.
"A lot of people decide that it's a part of their lives they have to put closure to, something they hadn't succeeded in before,” said Susan Schultz, a teacher in the Adult Education program, which is geared to students age 21 and older. "The alpha of that group was the grandma, she really was. She'd get up early to write her papers so therefore the other two did, too. Bright as a penny, she was, very, very bright — I was surprised how much she had learned and remembered from her high school.”
Instigator of the endeavor, Emmons-Dixon had five credits to complete and she studied from September through April to finish. She shoehorned classes and studies around a full-time job as an inspector at Crystal Mountain plus life as single mother and grandmother. With her diploma and CENA certificate in hand, she landed at the Grand Traverse Pavilions — learning that she had her dream job the day of graduation.
"I've always wanted to become a CENA and I finally got my diploma and was able to take the classes,” said Emmons-Dixon, who loves working with the elderly. "I thought about getting a GED but this is more difficult because you're taking the time three days a week and have to do the work to get your credits.”
Emmons-Dixon initially found it a challenge to be a student again but found that her life experience helped bridge the gap.
"I've always wanted to do this but now the kids were old enough and I thought what a good time to do it,” she said, adding of her co-graduates: "I am so proud of my mom and daughter, it's awesome.”