A standing ovation greeted 104-year-old Marge Hamlen as she accepted a diploma she had waited decades to receive, according to CNY Central. The Clyde-Savannah Central School District honored Hamlen with a ceremonial graduation after learning she had always wanted to take part in a commencement ceremony.
Hamlen earned her GED at age 60 after a lifetime spent working, raising a family, and caring for others. The effort to recognize her began with graduating senior Krystal Crocker and family members who work with Hamlen at Seneca Nursing Facility in Waterloo.
The district presented Hamlen with an honorary diploma during a special ceremony, where she stood from her wheelchair to accept it. Several Clyde-Savannah seniors attended in cap and gown to celebrate alongside her, turning a lifelong dream into reality more than four decades after she completed her education.
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