5 January Rosalyn Montgomery earns high school equivalency diploma at ICC at the age of 68 January 5, 2024 By Thomas, Donna S. Career Center, General 0 The educational journey of Rosalyn Montgomery of Plantersville took a bit longer than she expected. In fact, she just earned her high school equivalency diploma at Itawamba Community College at the age of 68, less than a month after her birthday. She passed the GED test on the first try as a result of her enrolling in an adult education class at the ICC Belden Center. “I wanted to complete something I started. I wanted to be a role model and show people that if you put in the time and work, you will be victorious,” she emphasized. “They had the tools I needed to be successful, and they had the teachers the Lord put here to help.” Montgomery dropped out of school when she was 12 to help at home. She cleaned, cooked and “kept out of trouble,” she said. When she was 18, she left home to work at Long’s Laundry. Later, she welded fans and guards. For 15 years, she worked as a housekeeper at the Ramada Inn in Tupelo, and subsequently in environmental services at the North Mississippi Medical Center, where she retired in October 2017 after 25 years. In 1976, she married James Allen Montgomery, a union that produced three children. They dated only three weeks before they were engaged. Age wasn’t the only obstacle for Montgomery in the pursuit of her high school diploma. When she worked at the Ramada Inn, she had to walk to the babysitter to leave her daughter. “I put a smile on my face, left my problems at the fence and picked them up in the afternoon,” Montgomery recalled. She didn’t obtain her driver’s license until she was 35. In the late 1970s, the Montgomerys had three children, and their house burned at Christmas. They had to leave and moved to the projects, but their problems, or opportunities as Montgomery would say, didn’t stop there. In the late 1980s, they lived in a bad location. “My kids couldn’t go out. I prayed for a better place. We didn’t qualify for a loan, so the social worker at Tupelo Housing Authority encouraged us to sign up for low-income housing.” In 1992, the Montgomerys moved after their application was approved, and she became the first of her siblings to own their own house. She has advice for those who are thinking about enrolling in adult basic education to achieve their credential, no matter how many years it’s been. “Don’t be afraid to try to walk by faith, not by sight. When things seem hard, God will put someone in your life to encourage you. I am so blessed that I passed. I only needed a score of 8, but I passed with a 12. It is important to have people who are positive in your circle, people to call to pray for you. I want to inspire other students who have not experienced life yet. My advice, listen and respect teachers. You have a whole life ahead of you, get out and do something with your life!” Montgomery called her diploma “a new beginning” that has changed her life. She is also the first of her siblings to achieve that milestone. “Thank God for this success that will continue to make me a role model for my children and grandchildren. My kids have been encouraging, and they are so proud.” As for now, Montgomery is helping her daughter with a daycare in Nettleton and is using her talents in a new direction, interior decorating. She said that she has a dream board and checking off all of the items…“God’s love and peace, Enlarge my territory, Pay off house.” But, she left off one of the items that it’s taken her almost a lifetime to achieve…Earn my high school diploma…Check! Related Articles ICC joins in providing new option to earn High School Equivalency Diploma New High School Equivalency Option Available in Mississippi Mississippians who have dropped out of high school have a new option to earn their High School Equivalency (HSE) Diploma, TotalTranscript® offered by DiplomaSender. TotalTranscript® allows those who have previously taken portions of the GED, HiSET or TASC to combine test scores in order to earn an HSE Diploma. Prior to TotalTranscript®, students were required to take and pass the entire battery of individual tests to earn an HSE Diploma. “Across the state, there are more than 300,000 Mississippians without a high school diploma, and oftentimes these individuals are not able to access postsecondary educational opportunities or secure gainful employment,” said Kell Smith, interim executive director of the Mississippi Community College Board. “TotalTranscript® is a great option for those who may have begun the process of earning an HSE Diploma but have not yet been able to finish the process. A high school diploma opens countless doors throughout life, and I am excited about this new option.” Itawamba Community College President Dr. Jay Allen concurs. “According to recent statistics, approximately 331,000 Mississippians do not ... ICC to celebrate success of high school equivalency diploma recipients, Feb. 13 Itawamba Community College will celebrate the success of several area residents who have earned their high school equivalency diploma during a special event, Feb. 13, from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Belden Center (3200 Adams Farm Rd.). They include Gabriel Luker, Savannah Martin, Nicholas McAlester, Alex Vazquez, all of Aberdeen; Brandyn Childress, Halie Edwards, Kayla Johns, Winter Kennedy, Emily Morris, all of Amory; Matthew Collis, Aubrey Lewis, both of Baldwyn; Alexis Horne of Belden; William Knowles of Blue Springs; Hannah Knowles of Dumas; Jose Nava of Ecru; Cristal Campbell, Cody Hannon, Jacob Ledbetter, Bailey Willhite, all of Fulton; Jon Adams of Greenwood Springs; Trinity Bullard, Brooklyn Tackitt, both of Guntown; Aleah-Nevaeh Hopkins, Emma Patterson, both of Houlka; Megan Graham of Mantachie; Nyasia Cook of Myrtle; Aric Hamilton, Ethan Herring, John Seymore, all of Nettleton; Leather Hall of New Albany; Jaden Graham of Okolona; Rosalyn Montgomery, Noah Wood, both of Plantersville; Kimberly Koehn of Prairie; Israel Dilworth, Braylan Hoskins, Christoper McIntosh, all of Saltillo; Tyler Davis, Sammantha Wilson, both of Tremont; Cynthia Alcaraz, Enoch ... Area residents receive diplomas during ICC high school equivalency commencement ceremony Itawamba Community College’s 2023 high school equivalency graduates participated in a commencement ceremony at 6 p.m., May 11, at the Davis Event Center on the Fulton Campus. They include Destiny Holloway, Thomas Huppert, Hoyt Martin, all of Aberdeen; Cierra Bartlett, Alex Head, Lily Jones, Julia Lee, Aliana Page, Hunter Stacy, Ryan Walls, all of Amory; Hugh Davis, Shane Smith, both of Blue Springs; Breanna Sanders of Ecru; Christopher Ellis, Taylor Kent, Christian Martin, Traci South, Dominic Whittington, all of Fulton; Darbie Blansett of Golden; Cadence Floyd of Guntown; Megan Christian of Hamilton, Ala.; Tristen Keith, Haley Thomas, both of Houlka; Jonathan McGee, Haley Wilkerson, both of Houston; Americus Plunkett, Olivia Pollock, Christopher Stephens, Joseph Thomas, Keira Vandiver, all of Mantachie; Dakota Felks of Mooreville; Kaiden Culver, Lily Guin, Gary Hughes, Donna Johnson, Dylan Swick, all of Nettleton; Somer Faris, Jasmine Watson, both of New Albany; Tyler Corley, Issac Holman, both of Okolona; Raven Hitchcock of Plantersville; Madison Boyd, Brooklyn Bunch, Erik Driggers, Hope Jones, Guadalupe Lopez, Kaleb Montgomery, Dakota Myhand, Breonna Singh, Anna Watts, all of Pontotoc; Kyle Barnett, ... BancorpSouth supports ICC's high school equivalency program BancorpSouth Bank (NYSE: BXS) is committed to its communities. The bank recently donated $3,000 to Itawamba Community College’s high school equivalency program. The adult education/basic skills program, formerly known as the GED program, enables students—ages 16 and older—to complete a high school equivalency diploma through classes offered in the college’s five-county district, which includes Chickasaw, Itawamba, Lee, Monroe and Pontotoc counties. “We are grateful for this significant donation from BancorpSouth,” said ICC President Dr. Jay Allen. “None of the work we do would be possible without the generous support of individuals and companies, like BancorpSouth, that believe in the mission of Itawamba Community College and our communities as a whole.” ICC received the donation from BancorpSouth on Aug. 20, when Allen was invited to speak to community leaders about the college’s work with students enrolled in the adult education/basic skills program. Last year, ICC served more than 800 individuals, including 30 in Itawamba County, through the program. “ICC is providing students with a second chance at receiving a high school equivalency diploma and is helping them reach their full potential,” said BancorpSouth President - ... High school equivalency prep classes High school equivalency prep classes are set to begin in Itawamba Community College’s five-county district the week of Jan. 9, 2017. The schedule includes Chickasaw County - Houston WIN Center, Tuesday and Thursday, 8:30 a.m.-noon, 1-4 p.m., 5:30-8:30 p.m.; EXCEL Commons, 8:30 a.m.-noon, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday; Itawamba County - Bethel Baptist Church, Tuesday and Thursday, 5:30-8:30 p.m.; ICC Fulton Campus Technical Education Building, Tuesday and Thursday, 4-8 p.m. (room 205); Lee County - ICC-Belden, 8 a.m.-noon, 1-4 p.m. and online, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday; and first and third Saturday of each month, 8 a.m.-noon and online; ICC-Belden Smart Start, 8 a.m.-12:30 p.m., 1-4:30 p.m., and 5:30-8:30 p.m., Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and first and third Saturday of each month, 8 a.m.-noon; ICC-Belden, Tuesday and Thursday, 5:30-8:30 p.m.; Family Resource Center, Tuesday and Wednesday, 4-8 p.m.; Words of Faith Ministries, Tuesday and Thursday, 8:30-11:30 a.m. and 5:30-8:30 p.m.; Monroe County - Aberdeen Parent Center, Tuesday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Amory WIN Center, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, 8 a.m.-noon; Monday and Wednesday, 1-4:30 p.m.; and Tuesday and Thursday, 5-8 ... ICC adult education, high school equivalency classes to resume in January Itawamba Community College has scheduled adult education/high school equivalency classes for the 2021 spring semester. Day classes will begin Jan. 6, and night classes, Jan. 11. They include Chickasaw County – Houston WIN Center, Tuesday-Friday, 8 a.m.-noon and 1-4:30 p.m., Shundria Whitfield, smwhitfield@iccms.edu or (662) 407-1218; Itawamba County – Fulton Family Resource Center (Old Grammar School), Tuesday and Thursday, 8 a.m.-7 p.m., Linzy Patterson, lfpatterson@iccms.edu or (662) 407-1538; Lee County – ICC Belden Center, Monday and Tuesday, 8 a.m.-noon and 1-7:30 p.m., and Wednesday and Thursday, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Amanda Dickinson, asdickinson@iccms.edu or (662) 407-1514 or Linzy Patterson, lfpatterson@iccms.edu or (662) 407-1538; Monroe County – Amory WIN Center, Tuesday and Thursday, 9 a.m.-noon, 5-8 p.m., amshannon@iccms.edu or (662) 407-1517; and Pontotoc County – Pontotoc WIN Center, Monday, 8:30 a.m.-noon, 1-4 p.m., Shundria Whitfield, smwhitfield@iccms.edu or (662) 407-1218. English as a Second Language classes meet at the ICC Belden Center Wednesday and Thursday, 9 a.m.-noon and 1-4 p.m., ejsullivan@iccms.edu; and Monday and Tuesday, 5:30-8:30 p.m., amshannon@iccms.edu or (662) 407-1517. There is no cost for ... Comments are closed.