Forty-seven students received a diploma from Beaufort County Ed Tech Center.

The graduates and their families celebrated Saturday morning with a ceremony at Beaufort County Community College. Ed Tech was the second of four high schools in Beaufort County to hold ceremonies that day.

The ceremony was made possible through a partnership with Bright Futures Beaufort County, an organization dedicated to meeting the needs of students in the county, and First Baptist Church.

Principal Betty Jane Green said the graduates have worked hard to achieve this milestone in their lives.

“The entire staff here at the Ed Tech Center is extremely proud of the graduates,” Green said. “Each one has a story to tell of how they worked toward their graduation, and how happy they are that they have reached an important goal.”

Saturday’s ceremony featured testimonies from a couple of graduates, who detailed how attending Ed Tech had put their lives back on the right track. Dr. Don Phipps, superintendent of Beaufort County Schools, gave the opening address, and Cornerstone Family Worship’s Bishop James McIntyre delivered the keynote speech.

“I think it’s an exciting graduation for us because the students, many of them have faced many types of challenges and obstacles,” Phipps said. “It’s just a tremendous celebration.”

Ed Tech is an alternative school with 10 staff members and works to give many at-risk students a second chance at succeeding in school — although a child does not have to be “at risk” to attend. The school also hosts training workshops, counseling, Pathways to Success and other programs on its campus.

“For everyone, it’s a great accomplishment,” Phipps said. “The Ed Tech one, it’s just a true celebration for those students and their families.”