ELLY GRIMM
• Leader & Times
Mary Lloyd made Seward County Community College history in 2014 by being the oldest graduate of the college’s Adult Education program, and last week, she decided to pay it forward for future students with a donation.
A special ceremony was hosted Friday, and Adult Education Director Katie Reck began by reading a statement from former director Travis Combs, who is currently working with the U.S. Department of Education.
“Receiving her GED at the age of 85, her journey is a testament to the power of persistence and lifelong learning. Mary grew up in an era when educational opportunities for women were limited and despite her intelligence and ambition, she had to leave school at a young age to help support her family,” Reck read. “Many of life's responsibilities and challenges prevented her from returning to her studies, but she never lost her love of learning. Throughout her life, Mary worked hard, raised her family, and contributed to her community and always emphasized the importance of education to her children and grandchildren, instilling in them a love of knowledge and drive for success. However, she never had the chance to complete her own education until 2014 and at the age of 85, Mary decided it was time for her to achieve her long-held dream of earning her GED. She enrolled in adult education classes determined to conquer the subjects that had once been extremely daunting, and with the same tenacity that defined her life, she approached her studies with vigor, proving age is no barrier to learning. Mary's journey was not easy – balancing her studies with the challenges of aging and continuing to work at Walmart required immense dedication and resilience.
Yet, she persisted, Reck continued.
“Mary’s classmates, many of whom were decades younger than her, were inspired by her determination and positive attitude. She was, and still is, one of the best grandmas there is,” Reck read. “After many months of hard work, Mary proudly received her GED after passing the writing test, and the pride and joy she felt were echoed by her family, friends and the rest of the community, especially those who worked at the Colvin Center, all of whom supported her every step of the way. Mary's accomplishment is a reminder of how it is never too late to pursue one's dream, and how education is a lifelong journey. Mary's story has touched the hearts of many, and she has become a symbol of perseverance and the boundless potential within us all. Her achievement should encourage people of all ages to pursue their goals with determination no matter the obstacle(s) the face.”
Lloyd and her family then talked more about her story and her inspiration to go back to school.
“On her 85th birthday, we were all at my mom's house, and I said 'You're 85, I think it's time for you to get your GED,'” Lloyd’s daughter, Kaylene Westbrook, said.
“But I said I didn't want to,” Lloyd said with a laugh. “But then ultimately, our family friend, Michelle, dragged me to the office, and I stood there, and Travis said to me 'Why don't you just try?' But I still didn't want to! Finally, Michelle convinced me to do one of the practice tests, and Travis asked 'What subject do you want to take?' And I said 'Reading,' which made them exchange a bit of a look. Michelle later said Travis told her 'I don't know if this will work, she won't like it because the majority of the students never pass the reading test.' I came back, and he looked at me, and I asked what grade I got, and after some hesitation, he asked me 'Did you maybe overthink one of the questions?' I passed them all, save for one question because I had overthought my answer. That's what got me all started. Since I was still working, I started taking two classes at a time, and they never did tell me when it was time to do them all. I was later told it was time to take the English test, and I ended up not doing very well on it, but I did ultimately take it again. Then, graduation came, and that was a whole other thing, and I ended up being the guest speaker. But I'd never written a speech before, so I went to Kaylene and asked her to help me, and she was almost as perplexed as I was by the whole endeavor, but it ended up being a good speech.”
Lloyd said she certainly had her challenges when going back to school.
“I wouldn't say it was my favorite part, per se, but I just had to keep reminding myself I could do this, even at my age,” Lloyd said. “Every single test I took scared me, but Travis kept telling me 'Don't worry if you don't pass, there's some extra help you can get to help you.' But I did end up passing everything.”
“I remember hearing about all of this over the phone, and I was just amazed because even though I graduated from school and everything, I don't know if I could pass those tests, because they are pretty thorough and they've changed a lot throughout the years, from what I've heard,” Westbrook added. “Then, at graduation, I remember being kind of a zombie as I was walking across the stage, everything was just moving so fast and it almost didn't feel real. When I was giving my speech, the gym was full, and I was so nervous that whenever I had a stutter or stumble, I focused on this one girl in the front row, and that helped me center everything.”
After being part of the program, Lloyd and Westbrook said they agreed it was time to give back.
“I'm currently staying with my mom right now, and there are times when I don't sleep very well, which means a lot of thoughts are going in and out of my head,” Westbrook said. “There was one time I was thinking my mom needed some type of legacy, which I told her, and I asked her 'What about giving a scholarship back to the GED program?' Brad [Bennett] and Katie [Reck] came to the house one day, and they told us about the building, and one of them made the comment of needing help to get this building ready for classrooms and all of that. So what was originally intended as a scholarship is now a building fund, and there's going to be a room named after her. It started from that idea of giving back, and the GED was so, so special for her because like we said earlier, she didn't think she'd be able to do any of it, but with some help and encouragement, here we are today. This is a legacy we want to leave in Mom's honor.”
“I'm not going to be around forever, and my children are all grown and doing fine, and since this money is going to be a great help to someone looking for this opportunity, let's do something constructive,” Lloyd said.
Overall, Lloyd and Westbrook said, they are more than happy to have the chance to give the donation.
“We're very appreciative Katie wanted to have a special event for this – we would have been happy just to hand the check over in the office, but she was the one who had the idea of showing Mom off and sharing her story,” Westbrook said.
“We really want to help some students and help them with their own dreams. This is just a small donation from me, and I hope it can lead to some bright futures,” Lloyd said.
