FLCC graduates largest high school equivalency class

133 students earned a high school equivalency diploma last year at FLCC, setting a new record for the college.

Finger Lakes Community College celebrated 133 high school equivalency graduates recently, the largest class ever, in part due to the addition of distance learning during the pandemic.

About two dozen opted to participate in a ceremony in late August, held outdoors to reduce the risk of exposure to the virus that causes COVID-19.

Kathleen Guy, director of adult basic education for the college, said the state Education Department’s decision to add distance learning and to accept previous Regents credit made it possible for more people to complete the program.

FLCC President Robert Nye encouraged graduates to tell their stories of how they went back to school and succeeded. Photo by Rikki Van Camp

FLCC’s program allows people to work at their own pace with an instructor to prepare for the five exams necessary to earn a high school equivalency diploma.

FLCC President Robert Nye asked graduates to encourage others to enter the program.

“You should share your stories of where you come from and how you did it,” he said.

Among the graduates is Aracely Ortiz-Feria, who works full-time at the Agri-Business Child Development Center in Williamson. A native of Mexico, she came to the United States 10 years ago to join her husband.

While raising three children, she studied first for her citizenship exam, which she passed five years ago. Now that she has her high school equivalency diploma, she plans to finish a child development associate (CDA) credential while continuing to work on her English skills in preparation for further education.

Ortiz-Feria took advantage of FLCC’s Spanish high school equivalency program, which the college offers at the Lyons Public Library on Broad Street.

With her instructor, Pamela Kehoe, acting as an interpreter, Ortiz-Feria offers the following advice: “Don’t quit. It’s not easy but it’s not impossible. If somebody tries, he or she can do it.”

She said she found the math section the most challenging but concluded that math is just about practice. In the short term, Ortiz-Feria plans to take a break from studying to spend more time with the family she thanks for their patience as she worked her way to citizenship, then high school graduation.

Aracely Ortiz-Feria of Marion looks forward to spending more time with her husband and children, ages 12, 8 and 5, now that she has earned her high school diploma. Photo by Rikki Van Camp

Information about FLCC’s high school equivalency and English as a second language programs is available at flcc.edu/abe or (585) 785-1544. Classes are offered online and in-person days and evenings in Ontario, Wayne and Yates counties.

See more photos in our Flickr album.

Below are the graduates by county and town:

Cayuga County

Auburn: Kizzy Mitchell

Sterling: Dominic Mason

Chemung County

Horseheads: Kali Short

 Livingston County

Hemlock: Jacob Klehamer, June Patterson

Lima: Elena Fox

Livonia: Jerry Jischke

Mount Morris: Jennifer Smith

Monroe County

Honeoye Falls: William Bassett, Everest Egenhofer

Rochester: Sherann Alligood, Freya Diermayr, Latoya Spears

Onondaga County

Memphis: Luke Fredette

Ontario County

 Bloomfield: Keontay Brown Sanders, Veronica Dora, Glory Gumaer

 Canandaigua: Jadah Cole, Casandra Colf, Maura Gysel, Connor Frarey, Gabriel Johnson, Brody Mack, Stephanie Maxwell, Kiera Murphy, Jeffrey Rider, Ryan Schmidt, Michael Shugars, Michael Sills, Heather Tifft, Jaida White

Clifton Springs: Vanessa Hurtado, Taylor Smith

Farmington: Alyssa Brickey, Andrea Estares, Jesse Struthers

Geneva: Joanna Arnold, Malcolm Blake, Paul Bostwick, Attriana Bowles, Felicita Figueroa, Faith Jensen, Devanie Johnson, Shatera McKoy-Hippert, Destiny Orr, Tricia O’Sullivan, Lilly Rhinevault, Jennifer Scarbrough, William Uerkvitz

Honeoye: Katelyn Cooper

Manchester: Haley Rae Hess

Naples: Jonathan Devers

 Phelps: Kyle Graham, Taylor Tones, Brandin Wood, Tanya Wood

Shortsville: Amie Barber, Jacob Koelling

Stanley: Sarah Scruton

Victor: Adam Donnelly

Seneca County

 Seneca Falls: Kyle Bush, Taylor Doane, Alexandra Hatcher

Waterloo: Jennifer Bartran, Dustin Powell, Melanie Weaver

Steuben County

 Bath: Brian Mitchell

Wayland: Gwyndalyn Gonzales

Wayne County

 Clyde: Shelly Muraj

 Lyons: Gideon Compton, Michelle Eagley, Nicole Foote, Nicole Klem, Terrell Martinez, Briah Rawlings

Macedon: Colby Soper

Marion: Aracely Ortiz-Feria, Samantha Lee, Hannah Tuttle

Newark: Aubrie Briggs, Hector Garcia, Riley Holliday, Janet Johnson, Kason Morrison, Aleah Murray, Ashley Revoir, Meagan Webster

Ontario: Alyssa Buda, Isabella Graziose, Travis Lewis, Jayden Supersad, Brittany Williams

Palmyra: Justin Gushlaw, Gary Vanderwall 

Savannah: Alexus Daniels, David Garcia, Austin Steele

Sodus: Sara Despaw, Olivia Dewick, Gloria Pozos, Clifford Wood

Sodus Point: Carlton Crane Wright, Bryce Premo

South Butler: Kathleen Buettner Mullin

Walworth: Bridgette West

Williamson: Charles Formicola, Justice Morris, Dulce Ruelas

Wolcott: Angelique Gardner, Micah Pare, Stacy Scott, Kaylyn Spraker

Yates County

Dresden: Camden Bailey, Chandler Jensen

Dundee: Ingrid Semans

Himrod: Jay Bailey

Lakemont: Hope Austin

Middlesex: Jennifer Boyack, Devin Caulkins

Penn Yan: Alexis Brewer, Wyatt Condrey, Shayna Duval, Jamie Fry, Jaiden LaBarr, James Taylor, Andrew Weimer

Some of the graduates in Finger Lakes Community College’s largest high school equivalency class chose to participate in a ceremony at the main campus on Aug. 25. Photo by Rikki Van Camp