Eight months after Helene, A-B Tech’s adult high school students graduate

Dozens of students in Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College’s (A-B Tech) adult high school programs crossed the stage on June 5, earning their high school credential and marking an achievement that many thought was out of reach.

“I now stand before you today, somewhere I never thought I would be,” said Logan Griffin, graduate and student speaker. 

Griffin was one of more than 100 students recognized during A-B Tech’s ceremony.

Juanita Turner walked the stage Thursday night as applause and cheers echoed in the aisles.

Turner started her high school credential journey during the 1980s. It wasn’t an easy path, with many responsibilities and detours derailing her. And there were tests, both academic and personal, that made Turner’s trek all the harder.

“I’d start and then stop,” Turner said. “The (high school equivalency) test seemed like it was getting harder for me.”

For Turner, reading and testing anxiety proved the most difficult. 

She had gone much of her life not knowing why she struggled with reading until she was diagnosed with dyslexia. Her diagnosis led to accommodations that helped her earn her credential.

And now, at 74, Turner can call herself a high school graduate.

“After more than four decades of persistence, patience, and pure determination, that dream is finally a reality,” said Kenna Sommer, director of A-B Tech’s transitional studies. “This moment is proof that it’s never too late to finish what you started.”

These types of stories are not unusual for students enrolled in adult high school programs.

Most of the students who crossed the stage at A-B Tech have encountered hardships that have made their path to high school graduation complicated. Some of those setbacks include domestic violence, homelessness, transportation issues, physical ailments, and more. 

For so many, this is their first-ever educational win, said Dr. John Gossett, president of A-B Tech.

Graduating in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene

This particular graduating class has faced more than most with the devastation and destruction of Hurricane Helene.  

A-B Tech’s main campus is located in one of the hardest hit areas in western North Carolina —  Buncombe County. The area experienced unprecedented water levels and floods, impacting electricity, water, essential supplies, roads, internet, and cell service.

The college was closed for an entire month due to impacts from the storm.

“It disrupted lives, displaced families, and added an extra layer of difficulty to an already demanding path,” Sommer said to the graduates. “And yet, you didn’t give up.” 

Felicia Huntsinger is among those who earned their high school equivalency. Huntsinger started her journey at 18 years old before encountering numerous roadblocks toward her completion. 

Now, at age 37, she stood on the stage with great pride, listing off her accomplishments. In addition to being a wife, a mom to two kids, a full-time caretaker, and a high school graduate, Huntsinger has completed several other certifications, including med tech and CPR. She’ll soon earn her National Crisis Intervention certificate and will go on to work with adults with special needs.

“I’m on my way to a bigger, better future,” Huntsinger said.

‘Make it count’

Phillip Cooper, chief change agent and founder of Operation Gateway, delivered this year’s commencement address. Cooper graduated from A-B Tech’s high school equivalency program and went on to earn a degree in human services technologies from the college before working on staff at A-B Tech. 

Cooper’s story is one marked by tough times and resilience. Growing up with a single mother in public housing and experiencing poverty, Cooper’s life took a turn when he started selling illegal substances. In 2007, he found himself in prison. Now, Cooper is considered a reentry expert and criminal justice reform advocate. 

His main message to the graduates was to make it count. 

“Don’t do it by yourself,” he said. “Know the resources, know your why, know your tribe, and make it count.”

And for the ones who counted you out, Cooper said, they can’t count.

Another graduate, Chantelle Brisbone, said she was fulfilling a promise that she made to herself and God. 

“I’m a mother of five beautiful children. All of them are currently in foster care,” Brisbone said. “That is not easy for me to say, but that is part of my truth.” 

My truth, Brisbone said, is that life has knocked me down more than once.

Brisbone went on to say that she has faced homelessness, battled addiction, and endured domestic violence. 

“I’ve walked through the storm and felt completely alone, but tonight, I’m standing in victory,” she said.

Brisbone reminded her children and the audience that no matter how far you fall, you can rise again.