Three generations of a Princeton family have received their diplomas from the Bridge Adult Education school, together.
The first generation graduate is 73-year-old Donna Tipton who is the mother of graduate Deb Pasco and grandmother to third-generation grad Aaron Pasco.
Tipton was born and raised in Toronto, Ont., attending Kipling Collegiate until Grade 10 when she decided to leave school to work as an office clerk.
In 1973, Tipton and her husband Kenn moved out to Burnaby, B.C., with her three children and later moved to Surrey where she had her last child, Deborah. Then they moved to Princeton in 1993 with their youngest daughter Deborah (Tipton) Pasco.
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After her husband died in 2012, Tipton decided to focus on herself and decided to get her high school diploma with her daughter Deborah and grandson Aaron.
Graduating and being apart of the three-generation graduation gives Tipton great pride
“This is a special time for me and all my family, it shows you can do anything you set your mind to and we did it,” Tipton said.
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Deborah Pasco, 39, was driven to go back to school because her son, Aaron, was attending the Bridge to get his Grade 12 diploma.
After Deborah left school before completion to devote her life to her husband or kids she said, “it was now or never. So, I chose now.”
She is proud of her mother and her son for embarking on this journey with her “The tassel was worth the hassle,” Deborah said.
Aaron Pasco is 17 years old and received his high school diploma after taking Communications 12, Earth Science 11, Studio Arts 12, Math 11 and Criminology 12. He plans to work for M.R. Wood Windows Ltd. in Abbotsford this summer.
The younger Pasco feels graduating with his mother and Nana is an honour.
“I have so much respect and pride that Donna and Deborah both made the choice to return to school and complete Grade 12 along with me at the Bridge,” Aaron Pasco said.
The three graduates plan to put their diplomas to good use in the coming years, but first, they will soak in the joys of graduating as a team.
@LarynGilmourlaryn.gilmour@blackpress.caLike us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
