Mother-Daughter Duo Graduates from CFCC’s Adult High School Program

When Laurie Cooke attended Cape Fear Community College’s Adult High School orientation, she planned to get her daughter, Lauryn McDuffie, signed up to finish high school. She didn’t realize she’d be starting her own new chapter that day.

“This isn’t my first time trying to go back to school. Not my second, not my third,” Laurie shared. “But I was sitting there during orientation thinking, this is perfect timing. Like that old saying, ‘you’ll know when you know.’ And I just knew.”

Laurie left high school in the ninth grade. Since then, life has been full. She’s a married mom of three, a grandmother of two, and works full-time. But that day at orientation, something clicked.

“I told Lauryn, ‘I think I may come back.’ And she was so excited. That made it so much easier for me. I thought she’d be embarrassed, but she was like, ‘Well, do it, Mama.'”

Lauryn struggled in traditional high school and was relieved to find a better fit at CFCC. “Traditional high school was not the right environment for me. So I was looking at other options,” she said.

As the two settled into the program, Laurie became an AHS Student Ambassador, mentoring and encouraging others along the way.

“Even when I didn’t think I was being a role model, I could feel I was,” she said. “I just wanted to show the students, hey, you’re never too old. Never give up. I’m a mom, a grandma, a wife. I work full-time, and I am making it work.”

“She had all the snacks, lotion, paper, and supplies. People thought of her as the mom figure,” Lauryn added.

For Lauryn, having her mom in class gave her an unexpected boost.

“I think it brought us closer,” she said. “I’ve got a human being who will have my back. She’s the one who’s been pushing me. It’s incredible.”

The two ended up sharing three classes together and often turned them into friendly competition.

“We would compete for questions and see who could raise their hand the fastest,” Lauryn laughed.

Now, Laurie and Lauryn are preparing to walk across the graduation stage together, earning their diplomas side by side. Laurie will take CFCC’s medical coding class this August. Lauryn is enrolling in CFCC’s Associate in Fine Arts – Theatre program.

Laurie hopes their shared accomplishment sends a message to her classmates, her children, and especially her grandkids.

“My grandchildren look up to me,” she said. “I wanted to show them Mimi did it. Aunt Lauryn did it. Mimi and Aunt Lauryn finished at the same time.”