Felicia Cade. left, and Gisela Robles both graduated with an HSED diploma during a ceremony on Tuesday night.

Felicia Cade and Gisela Robles have waited nearly three decades for this moment. On Tuesday evening, both clad in a black cap and gown, they walked across the stage at Blackhawk Technical College to finally receive their high school diplomas.

“There were times I nearly gave up, especially when I had to put my education on hold to raise my kids,” Felicia said. “But I kept telling myself I would finish one day.”

With family, friends and classmates cheering them on, both women were among the 24 students earning a General Equivalency Diploma (GED) or High School Equivalency Diploma (HSED) at a ceremony in the Conference Center at the Beloit-Janesville Campus.

Felicia’s Focus

Growing up on the South Side of Chicago, Felicia made it to 12th grade. But life took an unexpected turn. She got pregnant. Her father passed away. And instead of walking across a graduation stage, Felicia stepped into the role of wife and mother.

“I dropped out to become a housewife and raise my children,” she said.

That decision shaped the next several decades. Felicia married her high school sweetheart—now her husband of 47 years—and together they built a family that includes three children, 12 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren. In the midst of caring for generations of loved ones, she held onto one quiet, persistent goal: finish her high school education.

“I kept trying to say, ‘I’m getting my diploma one day,’” Felicia said. “Then other things came up.”

She tried returning to school several times after moving to Janesville in the 1990s. But between family responsibilities and life’s many interruptions, progress was stop-and-go.

“I’d start trying to go back to school, but I was on and off because so many things would come up,” she said.

One major barrier was her difficulty focusing—a challenge that had never been formally diagnosed. It wasn’t until she enrolled in Blackhawk Technical College’s adult education program and confided in her instructor, Carol Seichter, that she discovered the root cause.

“I took the test and it showed I had adult ADHD,” Felicia said. “And she said, ‘OK, we can get you in this program that gives you a longer time on your test.’”

With those testing accommodations and continued encouragement from Blackhawk staff, Felicia, now age 64, was finally able to complete her High School Equivalency Diploma requirements.

Gisela’s Goal

By the time Gisela finished grammar school at age 13, she was already dreading what came next. A group of girls had bullied her relentlessly, and the intimidation didn’t stop when she entered high school.

She started her freshman year, but “was intimidated, scared and discouraged,” she said.

With 11 other siblings, Gisela didn’t receive much personal guidance at home.

“I kind of was a lost child in my younger years, and so I took a different route,” she said. 

At 17, she became pregnant.

“I was on my own at that point–trying to raise a child, being a child,” she said. “And so I pretty much was kind of just focused on being a mother and taking care of my child. I was a single parent, so it really meant everything for me to take care of my son and make sure that he was OK.”

Though she tried returning to school several times, the emotional toll of the past and the weight of daily responsibilities made it difficult.

“I made several attempts to get my GED, but I was never in a good headspace because I was a young person,” Gisela said.

In 1995, she moved to Janesville when she got engaged. The engagement didn’t last, but she stayed in the area and began working on her GED again. Still, she struggled to stay on course.

“I knew what I needed, but I just kind of allowed everything that was going on in my life to take the front and center,” she said. “I was never really in a good place. It took me until 50 years old to change my life, and I gave my life to Jesus. Then, I started to see changes in my life.”

As her faith deepened, her priorities began to shift.

Gisela quit drinking, quit smoking, got married and bought a home—and with a renewed sense of direction, she was ready to finish what she had started.In 2024, she decided to fully commit to getting her HSED. 

“God’s plan is better than our plan because, you know, he walked me right through it. The timing was right,” she said.

At 62, she is finally a high school graduate and hopes others will see themselves in her story.

“It’s never too late. As long as you set your mind and you set a goal for yourself, it's doable at any age,” she said. “So, I’d say go for it! I think Blackhawk is amazing. Everybody is so wonderful.”

With her HSED, Felicia plans to apply for a better-paying job–she’s eyeing her local post office. Gisela is going to try cooking classes, as she is interested in making pastries and, perhaps, going into business with family or friends.

Spring 2025 GED/HSED Graduates

As he welcomed everyone to the graduation event, Dr. Tracy Pierner, Blackhawk President, said, “I am absolutely sure that some of you had some bumps along the way. Tomorrow starts a new challenge. Keep growing. Keep developing.”

Those graduating included:

• Kenneth W. Baker Jr.
• Michaela Bucholtz
• Felicia R. Cade
• Carly Carratt
• Rodolfo Cordon
• Betty Douglas
• Jose Estrada
• Emily Lowery
• David Martinez Zapata
• Ana Rosa Mendoza
• Cora McCaine
• Abigail Irene Moser
• McKenzie O’Malley
• Eva Natasha Ruth Pearl
• Aide Ramos Matamoros
• Montrel T. Reed
• Gisela Robles
• Ashley Rodriguez Diaz
• Alba Sanchez
• Michelle Scott
• Kaitlynn Shlemon
• Rebecca Shlemon
• Tiffany Townsend
• Iris Vivriescas

HSEDs open doors

There are six ways to earn the General Educational Development Program and the High School Equivalency Diploma under Wisconsin’s Department of Public Instruction administrative code. The women chose PI 5.09, which allows Wisconsin Technical College System colleges to provide programs that lead to high school equivalency diplomas. The programs must be based on high school graduation standards and include employability skills training and/or assessment. Students must also pass the civics test.

For more information on Blackhawk's GED/HSED options, visit blackhawk.edu/ged-hsed.

Front row, left to right: Kaitlynn Shlemon, Felicia Cade, Gisela Robles, Eva Natasha Ruth Pearl, Carly Carratt, Aide Ramos Matamoros. Second row, left to right: David Martinez Zapata, Cora McCaine, Tiffany Townsend, Jose Estrada, Betty Douglas, Ana Rosa Mendoza, Abigail Irene Moser, Iris Vivriescas. Third row, left to right: Rebecca Shlemon, Michaela Bucholtz, Ashley Rodriguez Diaz, Alba Sanchez, Kenneth W. Baker, Jr., Rodolfo Cordon, McKenzie O’Malley, Michelle Scott.