77-year-old Knoxville nursing home resident earns GED

77-year-old Knoxville nursing home resident earns GED

By LORI TUCKER
6 News Anchor/Reporter

KNOXVILLE (WATE) -- A 77-year-old woman residing in a local nursing home has just accomplished something more than 40,000 Knox County residents have not done.

She earned her GED, or General Education Development degree.

Math was never Lucy Ann Monnier's favorite subject, she admits.

Tackling it now, not just at age 77, but with fingers stiff with rheumatoid arthritis, is a challenge.

"It was hard," Lucy Ann admits. "I will admit that because the only thing I ever used subtracting and addition for was writing a checkbook, and that's all I ever needed it for. All the other things I had to learn was this other stuff, math and algebra. I thought I ain't ever gonna learn this. But I did."  

Yes, she did. A diploma signed by Gov. Bredesen proves it.

Lucy Ann, wearing her cap and gown, received her diploma on October 12 at Hillcrest South Nursing Home, where she lives.

She had told the staff about her goal and they called Knox County Schools' Adult Education Program to set it up.

Lucy Ann studiously did her homework with the help of tutors and volunteers for a solid year.    

Her hands can barely hold a pen, but she wrote the answers to nearly all of the questions herself on the 7 hour, 35 minute test.

"There's a 250-word essay that needs to be cone as part of the English test," said Nancy Dean, with the Adult Education Program. "We applied for special accommodations for her, which can be done, and she dictated the essay to me." 

"I'm proud of myself because I accomplished something and hope everybody out there will do the same thing," said Lucy Ann.

She's proof that it's never too late to follow your dream.