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Thirteen years ago, Julie Moran missed graduating with her class from Manzano High School.

Today, she'll achieve her goal as part of the biggest high school class in New Mexico.

Moran, 31, is one of approximately 250 students donning caps and gowns to participate in Central New Mexico Community College's annual high school graduation at the Albuquerque Convention Center.

The students walking are just a sampling of the 1,246 students who passed the GED exam at CNM this academic year.

Moran, who struggled for years with sleep disorders that made it difficult to study, had this advice for others who might follow in her path:

"Never give up, no matter who stands in your way, and not to let anyone put you down," she said.

Moran was scheduled to speak at the ceremony today, along with Clifford Lucero.

Lucero, 47, received his GED in 1977, but then fell down the wrong path. He said he spent 30 years as an alcoholic and 25 as a heroin addict. During most of 2003 and all of 2004, Lucero said, he was homeless, but he found help from the brothers at the Good Shepherd Center. They encouraged him to go back to school and pursue a degree.

He will graduate from CNM at the end of the summer with an associate's degree in general studies and will pursue a bachelor's in family studies in the fall at the University of New Mexico. Lucero wants to be a counselor or social worker.

"It has been a beautiful journey, and I would not change it for anything," Lucero said.

Thirty-six percent of the students who take the GED at CNM move on to pre-college or college classes. CNM was recognized in March of 2005 by the National Center of Developmental Education for preparing students for college.

Some students, like Jesus Marquez, do not know how to read before they begin GED course work. Marquez was to be honored today with the Joni Silverstein New Reader of the Year Award for exceptional perseverance.

The GED test consists of five subject areas: science, math, social studies, writing and reading. To pass each section, a student must receive a minimum score of 410. The maximum score is 800. To pass the entire test, a student must receive an average of 450 or better. CNM students take the test over two grueling days.

It's worth it. U.S Department of Education says students with a high school diploma or GED make about $9,000 a year more than those without one.

"I really believe that getting the GED is the first step in advancing an education," said Ann Lyn Hall, an achievement coach at CNM.

About 100 of the graduates took free GED classes at CNM prior to passing the test. Others take pre-college development classes as preparation or take the test without coursework at CNM.

The GED preparation classes and books are free at CNM. The fee for the test is $25, and CNM works to find donors to cover the cost for financially strapped students.

"We are really proud of what we can do for our students here," Hall said.

For Moran, the GED will allow her to pursue studies in speech pathology and sign language. Her inspiration is her daughter, Monica, who is partially deaf.

Moran has learned to communicate with her, and she would like to share these skills with others.