They made it!

Alexandria “Alex” Hicks has done it.

She is a graduate.

For the past year, the Independence Academy senior has had to live by her own means, working as a hostess at the Longhorn Steakhouse in Liberty and living in an apartment there with co-workers.

It would have been easy for Hicks to allow her circumstances to get the best of her. But they didn’t.

“I’m getting ready to graduate,” said Hicks, smiling minutes before receiving her diploma at Independence Academy’s graduation ceremony Thursday night at William Chrisman High School auditorium in Independence.

Hicks scored a 3420 on her GED test as part of the Missouri Options Program (offered through Independence Academy), which allows students to earn their high school diploma by passing the GED test. Hicks not only passed – she finished 580 points shy of a perfect score, which may qualify her for scholarships. She said she hopes to eventually attend the Kansas City Arts Institute, where she would like to enroll in the animation program.

“Art has always been an interest of mine,” Hicks said. “It’s just great that Independence Academy gave me a chance.”

Hicks and 40 other graduates were honored Thursday.

“Many of you have overcome numerous obstacles to reach this goal, and each of you have proved you have what it takes to make a difference in this world,” principal Julie Whyte said.

In the instance of Isaac Wetzel, it wasn’t so much exterior events that brought a struggle – but interior motives.

Wetzel endured a split schedule his senior year that would find him at Independence Academy for one class, at Herndon Career Center – a vocational school in Raytown – for another, then back to Independence Academy and so on.

“The traffic was sometimes a pain and a hassle,” Wetzel said.

Wetzel plans to attend community college for one year, then transfer to a four-year university such as the University of Central Missouri, focusing on computer information technologies.

According to Whyte, exit interviews taken from each graduate turned up a common link – that the greatest impact in their achieving graduation was their relationship with faculty.

Each of the 11 faculty members present spoke of a few students placed under their direction.

At the ceremony’s conclusion, students returned the favor, thanking those who had given them so much.

And, for another year, the bell honoring the students – and the faculty who made their diplomas possible – was rung.