A well-traveled area woman is hoping to build her professional career on the foundation of an education at Capital Region BOCES.

Yvonne Mickle is one of more than 100 adults who will graduate Aug. 19 from the Capital Region BOCES Adult Education program during a 5 p.m. ceremony at Hackett Middle School in Albany.

A native of Guyana, she went on to spend decades of her life in St. Maarten before moving to the Capital Region in 2021. It was while living in the island nation that her educational diplomas were lost to the destruction of multiple hurricanes leading her to enroll in the High School Equivalency program at BOCES after moving to the region.

“Every time I applied for a job, I needed to show that I graduated from school. I decided it would be easier to get a diploma again then to continue to struggle,” Mickle said.

A medical technician at St. Peter’s Hospital, she worked the night shift before coming to BOCES to take HSE classes, which she enrolled in in 2025.

“It wasn’t easy, but the class was great,” Mickle said.

“The teachers were encouraging and ready to push you to get to your goal. The admitting staff were encouraging. Everyone really cared about you,” she said.

Mickle said she wanted to eventually work as a nurse, which she previously did in St. Maarten. She plans to continue her education now that she has obtained her GED.

“I am not a spring chicken, but as far as I can go, I am going to go,” the 66-year-old said.

Her teacher Ursula LeGere praised the adult scholar as a role model for others.

“Yvonne was determined to obtain her GED diploma in order to better her employment in health care and to provide a model of the importance of education to her grandchildren. Yvonne inspired her classmates through her ability to work hard, stay focused on her goals, and always supported her fellow classmates,” LeGere said.