2010

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to ECCC success

Above is an artist rendering of the Aaron R. Davis Science Building, expected to be completed in 2011. A groundbreaking ceremony for the $4.1 million facili· ty was held last fall. The two-story structure will include state-of-the-art labora– tory facilities and is named in memory of Ron Davis, longtime biology instructor and division chairman who lost his battle with cancer in April 2006.

denrs rece1Ying their high school equivalency diplomas. In 2009,approximately 350 sruden~ - from age 17 to almo t 60 - earned their GED diplomas and 75 of the grad– uates pamdpated in the grad– uation ceremony. Four of the graduates pro– vided testimonies during the special program held in a packed HuffAuditorium. One of the speakers was Nitoka Hughes of Louisville. who dropped out of school when she was a 1~-year-Qld tenth grader. During her remarks, Hugh– es, 28, said, "The key is to never give up on your hopes and dreams. I challenge any– one who is in school to stay in school and not drop out If you have dropped out of school,find aGED class, work hard and do not give up until

you earn your diploma! If I can do it,you can, too. It's up to us to grab hold of those opportunities....the sky's the limit! Remember to always believe in yourself!" To assist the College in locating high school dropouts and convincing them to strive for the GED diploma, East Central is par– ticipating in Mississippi's Dropout Recovery effortS, an initiative supported and fund– ed by the Mississippi Legisla– rure. Jimmy Dempsey, a retired educator and Louisville native, was selected in 2009 on a part-time basis to help recruit high school dropouts for the GED program. "'I love helping people get

ECCC, see page 11