Senior Service America Highlights GED Opportunities In Mississippi

For Immediate Release May 6, 2003
Contact: Sue Carroll 301-578-8868

Silver Spring, Md.—Anyone can follow in the footsteps of great-great grandmother Louise Sinclair of McComb, Miss.

The 83-year-old was recognized by Gov. Ronnie Musgrove, Senior Service America Inc., the GED Testing Service (GEDTS) and the Mississippi State Board for Community and Junior Colleges at a daylong event May 6 in Jackson, Miss., for earning her GED diploma in 1999.

“Education is and always has been a priority for me, and the importance of education for everyone, regardless of age, can’t be disputed,” says Gov. Musgrove. “It’s never too late to learn or to put your learning to use.”

Many Mississippi seniors are eligible to join Sinclair in her achievement. The event kicked off Senior Service America and GED’s Building Senior Participation campaign to reach out to seniors across the state and help them earn their GED diploma.

“Seniors who earn their GED credential serve as great role models for their peers—and their children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren,” says Tony Sarmiento, Senior Service America executive director. “But seniors also greatly increase their chances at better employment and, by earning their diploma, they show prospective employers they are motivated to take on challenges.”

Sinclair works as a Senior Aide at Copiah-Lincoln Community College in Wesson, as part of a project sponsored by Senior Service America through the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) that places older, low-income adults in positions filling real community needs.

The Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) of Senior Service America is funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. SCSEP is an equal opportunity program. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities.