The Record Newspapers - Hometown News For Orange County, Texas

Sixty-seven year old Dorothy Edward Moore never thought about giving up on earning her high school diploma. In fact, she was not willing to receive a high school diploma unless it was from her home school.

Her determination and hard work were rewarded when she received her West Orange – Stark High School diploma in the mail recently.

“I wanted it from my hometown where I went to school. I could have got one that said Barbara Mann Alternative High School. But, I felt the right diploma was from where I started in the beginning -- Orange, Texas. It’s where my roots are,” Moore said.

When Moore left Emma H. Wallace High School in 1958, she still needed one year’s credit in Biology and a half year’s credit in geometry before she could graduate. Since that time, she has moved away and raised a family.

However, she has always wanted to earn her diploma.

“When I was here in Dallas I tried several times, but the only thing I could find was a GED program and I didn’t want that,” she said.

She finally found a program in the Dallas Independent School District which allowed her the perfect solution.

She attended Barbara Mann Alternative High School in Dallas beginning in the fall of 2007, four days a week, attending class with other more typical, teenaged, students.

“It was hard, but I made it. I came out of High School Geometry with a 75 average. And I was totally surprised that my average in Biology was 81. It was hard, but it was worth it,” she said.

With the help of Dallas and West Orange – Cove CISD school administrators, Moore transferred her credits and grades to West Orange – Stark High School.

“West Orange Cove is delighted to have played a part in assisting Mrs. Moore in obtaining her diploma. Mrs. Moore has worked very hard to achieve this life long dream to enhance her education,” Jane Stephenson, Executive Director of Instructional Services, said.

Her WO-S High School diploma arrived in the mail on Friday, March 28.

“My God, that’s the best feeling I have had in years. I have dreamed nights for God to open a door to help me get my diploma,” Moore said.

Now with her High School Diploma in hand, Moore is pursuing both an Associate’s and Bachelor’s Degree in Biblical Studies from the Southern Bible Institute in Dallas.

“I am going to school with my church affiliation to get ordained through the Pentecostal Assembly of the World,” she said.

Her goal is to become a chaplain at a medical facility.

She currently serves as a volunteer chaplain at prisons in Huntsville, Gatesville, Palestine, Teague, and Bonham.

Moore is the daughter of the late George and Irene Edwards, of Orange.

Her siblings Georgetta Edwards, Jefferie Cartwright, and Rev. Melvin Edwards still reside in Orange. Another brother, Rev. George Edwards, also resides in Dallas.

Moore and her husband Willie are the parents of two children.