Longtime dream comes true for Virginia Western Community College graduate

ROANOKE, Va. (WDBJ) – “If this 67-year-old who started her greater training journey with odds stacked in opposition to her can march throughout this stage this night with honors, there’s completely, completely no limits you possibly can’t accomplish,” stated Vera Morton throughout Friday night time’s graduation ceremony.

For Vera Morton, it is a day she’s all the time envisioned.

“Simply to get right here, I’m numb, I’m excited, I really feel like yelling, I really feel like working, simply combined feelings.”

Morton is graduating from Virginia Western Neighborhood School. It’s a journey that began with many challenges.

“I used to be robbed of my training. In 1959, reasonably than combine the general public faculties, Prince Edward County actually closed and locked the doorways for 5 lengthy years.”

In 1964, Morton discovered herself within the third grade due to her age.

“Please keep in mind, I had not but gained the basic data of first or second grades, comparable to studying, spelling, writing and primary arithmetic.”

Round 1990, Morton acquired a university certificates however not a level. For the following few a long time she put school on maintain. Regardless of these challenges, the dream of strolling throughout the stage was all the time on Morton’s thoughts. It’s one thing that offered itself when she and her husband relocated to Roanoke in 2017.

“I revived that dream and enrolled at Virginia Western Neighborhood School.”

Morton turned a recipient of the “Brown v. Board of Schooling Scholarship” on the school. Friday night, she took time to thank every particular person at Virginia Western who has helped make this dream come true.

“…Who assisted and inspired me alongside this tutorial journey to efficiently full my social diploma.”

Morton had some phrases of encouragement for all who is perhaps questioning if they will do one thing: go for it.

“I do know lots of people say you possibly can’t educate an outdated canine new methods; that’s not true. Have a look at me. I’m dwelling proof of that.”

After incomes her social diploma in liberal arts, Morton stated she goes to take a while off, however will enroll in some medical information programs at Virginia Western sooner or later.

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