IMMEDIATE JULY 21, 2004

FORTY-THREE STUDENTS GRADUATE FROM HEP AT ABAC

TIFTON—Forty-three students recently completed the requirements for graduation from the High School Equivalency Program (HEP) at Abraham Baldwin College. Olga Contreras, HEP Coordinator, said these students were eligible to receive their General Education Development (GED) diplomas at the recent graduation exercises.

HEP is an educational program designed to help students from migrant or seasonal farm worker backgrounds obtain the equivalent of a high school diploma so that they can gain employment or apply to an institution of higher education or vocational training.

The program, which is beginning its fourth year at ABAC, is funded by a five-year federal grant. ABAC’s program is the first one in the state of Georgia. HEP has been in existence since 1968, and 55 programs exist throughout the country.

The students and their hometowns are as follows:

ALBANY

Yesenia Balderas

ANDERSONVILLE

Christina Florinda Farias

BAXLEY

Elmer Ampuero

Maria Nicolasa Arreguin

Angel Alfonso Martinez

Angelica Martinez

Nestor Alejandro Martinez

Abisai Rodriguez

BUENA VISTA

Carlos Varas

CLERMONT

Jesus Rivera

DOUGLAS

Iraida Blanca Vickers

ELLAVILLE

Victoria Reyes

ELLENTON

Luz Maria Abundiz-Silva

FITZGERALD

Ana Becerra

Rafael Camacho

GAINESVILLE

Jesus Cerezo, Jr.

Mauricio Cerezo

HAZLEHURST

Marisol Zarraga

LYONS

Vanessa Solorzano

Araceli Trujillo-Maldonado

MOULTRIE

Betty Jo Gonzalez

MT. VERNON

Jose Luis Ceja-Martinez

NORCROSS

Tomas Preza

OMEGA

Jorge De La Paz

Alejandra Diaz

Julian Hernandez

PEARSON

Francisco J. Acosta-Hernandez

Jose Luis Basilio

Roberto Corona

Alejandro Mondragon Marquez

Armando Perez

PERRY

Diana Garcia Gonzalez

TIFTON

Jesus Bautista

Leticia Castaneda

Maria Diaz

Jessica Ramirez

VALDOSTA

Rosa Maria Araiza

Alvaro Leyva

Cristina Velasquez

Candi Waters

WARNER ROBINS

Santiago Jara

WILLACOOCHEE

Miguel Contreras

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