84 year-old Wytheville woman getting high school diploma

Agnes Eades is a mother, grandmother and on tomorrow will be a graduate.

At 84 years-old, she’s finally getting her high school diploma.

“I’ve been wanting it all the time.“

Eades went to Wytheville Training School. It’s the same place she started her education in the 1930’s.

Eades dropped out in the 10th grade and never got her diploma, but luckily survived without it.

Over the years she worked at National Geographic Headquarters in Washington D.C. and as a nurse’s aide and beautician.

WSLS: “Was it difficult for you going back to the classroom?“
Eades: “No, No. I wanted to do it and couldn’t nobody do it for me, but me and so I just focused on it.“

Eades hopes going back to school after all of these years will be an inspiration to other people to follow their dreams.

“I think that we don’t really realize how important education is until it’s too late.“

“Her critical thinking skills are very good,“ said Sandy Thomas, one of her teachers.

“When I came up we only had like addition, multiplication and subtraction, but we didn’t have all this stuff they have today,“ said Eades.

Eades adds that everything, all the studying and exams, will be worth it when she finally gets her diploma tomorrow.

“It’s a good feeling to know you have it.“