FOLEY — Some might think a diploma is a just piece of paper that represents completion of school. To students like Patrick Overcast at the South Baldwin Literacy Council (SBLC), the certificate is a life-changer.

After COVID-19 struck the nation in 2020, Overcast found it hard to learn the materials he was required to learn, causing him to leave school during his freshman year.

When he found SBLC, Overcast knew he wanted to work to receive his GED.

“It is so different than regular classes,” Overcast said. “They (volunteers and teachers at SBLC) take time with the students and are not rushing through things. If someone does not understand something, they will work with them to make sure they understand the work and then go to the next equation.”

For 41 years, SBLC has given individuals of all ages the opportunity to earn their GED, grow in their current education or learn English free of charge.

The nonprofit started in 1983 when a group of people traveled to Bon Secour and Mobile Bay to teach a group of fishermen how to read and write.

On May 8 at Hotel Magnolia in Foley, over 115 students, including Overcast, recognized their success at the SBLC Student Success Celebration.

Barbaree Duke, GED tutor for SBLC, formerly taught a classroom that was full of students. Now, she is able to work in the classroom a little differently.

“This (SBLC) is really nice because I teach one-on-one, and that has some real nice appeal as to 30 children in the room,” Duke said. “These are people that have experienced failure in their life and they said, ‘I want to change that, and I am committed to changing it.’”

Community Development Supervisor Susan Bartholomew said the program is more than learning.

“You change the world to change a student; you change the world, you change an adult,” Bartholomew said. “These are our future business owners, CEOs of companies, so we really need to invest in our community.”

In 2023, 1,400 students were a part of SBLC and 132 individuals volunteered their time, clocking in 20,000 hours of volunteer service.

After a night filled with taking pictures, clapping and handing out certificates, it was finally time for Overcast to walk up to the front of the room and receive this life-changing piece of paper.

As the announcer called out his name, Overcast could not help but show a smile, recognizing that he had finally accomplished something he had pushed himself to do.

“I did not think I would get it (GED) for a while, and it was constantly something that was just in the way,” he said. “It is nice to see that it is not in the way, and I am very happy.”