Wallace State Academic Excellence award winner began college career decades after dropping out of high school
HANCEVILLE, Ala. — Jeffrey Johns, 55, dropped out of school in the 10th grade and didn’t attempt to earn his GED until three years ago when a genetic disease forced him to give up his job as a truck driver. During the recent commencement exercises for the Class of 2016 at Wallace State Community College he was presented the Academic Excellence award for his achievements while at Wallace State.
Johns, of Hanceville, said he was happy to receive the award, and is aware of the irony of how a former high school drop was recognized for academic achievements.
“I did not like school,” Johns said of his reasons for quitting in his sophomore year at Holly Pond High School. After dropping out, he worked on the family’s farm that raised chickens and a few cattle he said. At 17 he started working at a steel processing plant and then at 18 he joined the Merchant Marines. “I worked offshore, worked in oilfields and west Texas, I was a plumber for many years and drove a truck for many years,” he said. In between he became a husband and stepfather and added two more daughters to the family.
While working as a truck driver, Johns became disabled as a genetic neuropathy disease took its toll on his body. CMT (Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease) has so far caused paralysis in his legs. “I use forearm crutches or a walker,” he said. “It’s degenerative, so it gets worse. I’ll probably wind up in a wheelchair one day.
“But I couldn’t stand the thought of staying at home and I always wanted an education,” Johns continued. He said he actually came up to Wallace State in 1978 with the intention of earning his GED and going to college, but late that year he got a job offer working on supply boat for oil rigs. Several years later he was married and a father who needed to work to provide for his family.
Johns enrolled in GED classes in 2013 and completed them before taking college courses at Wallace State. He graduated with honors from Wallace State and transferred to Athens State University, where he is majoring in English after changing over from history.
“I hated English in high school,” he admits. But after taking English courses at Wallace State with Kathy Buckelew, Cynthia Smith and Mary Barnes, Johns said he began to love the subject.
“These stories and poems, they just lit a fire in me, I guess. I love them,” he said. “I’ve always liked to read, but I could never get into the language. But when I had to read it and had to study on it, I realized how funny it is and how sad it is. They are just good stories.” He’s looking forward to taking summer courses on Chaucer and medieval literature this summer at ASU as he works on his bachelors.
His ultimate goal is to teach, Johns said, adding he’s thought about teaching others who are in the same situation he was in. “I wouldn’t mind teaching students who are trying to get their GED,” he said.
He encourages anyone with an interest in getting their GED or a higher education to take that first step.
“If people who are older or maybe disabled like me, if you think you have something you want to do or maybe give back to society or want to get a better job – like me, I’d like to get back in the workforce – there’s a saying that a trip of thousand miles begins with that first step. That first step is walking into the Bailey Center and going to school.”
For more information about Wallace State Community College, call 256.352.8000 or visit www.wallacestate.edu.
