Helen Woodyard began taking classes at 88 after being inspired by her four children earning their own degrees

NEED TO KNOW

• Helen Woodyard began taking GED classes at 88 after being inspired, in part, by watching her four children earn their own degrees
• Narly 1,000 hours of coursework later, she became the third of her 10 siblings to earn a diploma
• Woodyard said she “really loved” math, but geometry proved to be “the hardest”

A Georgia woman had something extra special to celebrate when she became the oldest person to get a GED in the state within the last decade.

Helen Woodyard finished her coursework the week she turned 91 and her actual graduation ceremony from West Georgia Technical College took place on July 29, the school confirms to PEOPLE.

“One of the ceremony’s most memorable moments came when 91-year-old Helen Woodyard crossed the stage to receive her GED, becoming the oldest person in Georgia in the past decade to earn the credential,” the school said in a press release.

Woodyard declined to say a few words at the ceremony, but she did speak with school officials about what inspired her to finally get her degree.

“I never finished [school], so I always regretted not getting my diploma,” she said. “My 4 children finished so I always wanted to do what they did.”

“I kept going because I don’t quit anything that I start,” she continued. “The Lord started a work in me, and I was willing to spend all the time I had left before I died to finish.”

Woodyard was 88 when she decided to begin classes and after 958.75 hours of learning, she finally accomplished her goal.

More than 30 members of Woodyard’s family came out to see her walk the stage as she became the third of her 10 siblings to earn a high school diploma, according to the school.

“They were happy; they were so proud of me,” she told NBC affiliate WXIA-TV.

As for what school was like for her, Woodyard said that while she “really loved” math, geometry proved to be “the hardest.”

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Since her milestone accomplishment, Woodyard has made more than just her family proud.

“We are so honored that Ms. Helen chose West Georgia Tech to fulfill her educational goal and incredibly proud of the hard work she put in to achieve this accomplishment,” WGTC’s president, Dr. Julie Post said in a statement. “She is a true testament to persistence and a shining example of lifelong learning!”

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