More than 20 students were yesterday presented with their hard-earned GEDs during the CARE Learning Centre graduation ceremony.A total of 23 students, including two employees of the Ministry of Public Works, two employees of the Ministry of Education and one Ministry of Health employee.As they were presented with their awards, CARE director Neletha Butterfield read statements, written by the graduates, thanking their families, friends and employees for their support.Valedictorian Elexis Ratteray thanked her parents for pushing her to succeed — even when she didn’t think she needed to be pushed.She noted her own challenges in education before entering the CARE programme, including the distractions caused by everyday life, but said she and the other graduates all achieved their goal despite the challenges.“We fell, we got back up, we brushed ourselves off and here we are,” she said.Reverend Nicholas Tweed stressed that education is about more than simply improving job opportunities, but improving one’s self and community.He told the graduates to “dare to dream”, thinking beyond the challenges and naysayers.He told the graduates they must dare to dream in order to improve both themselves and the community as a whole.“You have the power to continue to shape your destiny. Your future has not been written,” Rev Tweed said. “Your fate has not been written by your past mistakes. Your future hasn’t been written by naysayers. The future is in your hands.“Let this not be the end. Let it mark the beginning of a process where there is no limit to what you can achieve.“See yourselves as lawyers and doctors. See yourselves as builders and carpenters. See yourselves as poets and artists. See yourselves as musicians and Premiers.”He also praised the CARE Learning Centre, calling on Government to give the programme the funding it requires to do its work.“We have a model that has been tried and tested and the evidence that it works is here before you today,” he said. “Surely this is not the only motel, but this is a model that has been proved and tested and it works.“Hopefully we will be equally committed in investing resources, not just good intentions.”