A congrats goes out to South Carolina’s own, Willie Dell Grimes, who recently received her high school diploma at the young age of 83!  Her journey started in 1991 after the passing of her husband who she was married to for 42 years.

Growing up in rural Poplar Grove, the closest school after her seventh grade year was nine miles away in Bamberg, S.C.; this made it difficult for Grimes to complete school in the 1940’s.  Grimes’ favorite subject in school was math and she had dreams of becoming a teacher. At the age of 17, she was married to Jack E. Grimes and went on to have ten children.  According to The State, Grimes’ surviving children went on to accomplish many things that she couldn’t at their age:

“Ten children graduated high school and went on to higher education. Her children became military members, a horticulturist, a firefighter/paramedic, ministers, nurses, counselors, business owner, financial manager, an industrial personnel administrator and an educator.”

After spending over 30 years raising children, Grimes’ children and grandchildren encouraged her to return to school.  In 1993,  Mrs. Grimes returned to night school where she shared classes with kids who were young enough to be her own children.  Her family was in full support of her dream and she excelled in many areas. She received a class award in her social studies class and she continued to love math, her daughter Susie stated,

“I’ve never seen someone who could add up fractions in her head like her, and reduce them even with uncommon denominators.”

Even though Grimes didn’t enjoy her Spelling classes, she still went on to earn her High School Certificate, meaning she had successfully completed all classes required for a high school degree.  This was in 1999, and they honored the graduates with a ceremony where Grimes was a speaker.   Many students in the program had dropped out but Grimes stated, “I made up my mind that I wasn’t going to be a dropout twice.”  

Though she was appreciative of her official high school certificate, she longed for her Diploma, which would require the passing of a state certified mandatory test.  At least, until South Carolina passed Act 155.

In 2014, the State’s General Assembly passed Act 155 which eliminated the requirements for people who had earned all of their credits for their high school classes, but had not passed the exit exam.  This act would allow these students to file a petition for their official High School Diplomas.  As a result Willie Grimes received her High School Diploma at Richland Northeast High, where she wore her cap and gown.

At the age of 84,  Grimes said receiving her High School Diploma was her main goal and she was very proud.

Source: The State