Great-grandmother earns GED

79-year-old left school in eighth grade to farm in 1940s; hopes to inspire

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updated 9:58 p.m. ET March 19, 2008

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Ola Mae Venable spent only three days in eighth grade before deciding she'd rather work on her family's farm.

That was in the 1940s. Now, at the age of 79, Venable is a great-grandmother and the proud holder of a diploma.

Venable earned a General Educational Development diploma on Tuesday when she passed her final math test.

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She sailed through science, social studies and other tests, but math didn't come easily. Venable spent the last five months studying practice tests and working with a tutor to learn algebra and geometry, The Winston-Salem Journal reports.

She said she didn't know it would be quite so difficult, but she was determined to finish. She didn't want to drop out of school twice.

Venable now has six grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. She hopes to inspire other people who think they're too old to finish school.