By GAYLE WEBER

gweber@dailynews.net

It's been a journey for Kristy Green and Lacy Zillinger.

Each raised her own family while attending Fort Hays State University the past few years, but it has paid off, with both receiving bachelor's degrees this month. And in May, both will have a cheering section when they walk across the stage in their caps and gowns.

"Very, very proud," RoxyLea Rummel said about her daughters.

Green received a degree in psychology and Zillinger one in elementary education.

"I think it's awesome that we're graduating together," said Zillinger, the younger of the two. "I wouldn't want to do it any other way."

Zillinger graduated from Phillipsburg High School in 2005 and gave birth to her son, Joel, soon after. She went to Hutchinson Community College for a year before transferring to FHSU to be closer to Joel's father, who eventually would become her husband.

Zillinger and her son lived in Wooster Place Apartments for about three years, and she knows she couldn't have completed her degree without him.

"He's actually what pushed me through college," Zillinger said. "I always knew I was doing this for him, to make a better life for him."

Zillinger, who lives in Stuttgart, has been student teaching this semester at Logan Elementary School in Logan. She hopes to find a job that will allow her to stay in the area but will substitute until she can.

Meanwhile, Green has raised her own family, including a mixed brood of 10 children between her and husband, Gil, and she has another one on the way.

Besides doing her own homework, Green helped her children, ages 2 to 13, with homework and shuttled them to football practice, Girl Scouts and church activities. She also commuted from her home in Phillipsburg to FHSU three days a week throughout each semester.

"It took me a long time, but I'm glad that I have done it," said Green, who passed a General Educational Development test after dropping out of high school.

Green went to Colby Community College for two years before transferring to FHSU, but took a few semesters off during her time there.

She said at some point, she would like to go back to school for her master's degree. But for now, she will seek certification in drug and alcohol counseling after moving her family to Colorado.

Rummel said she's helped her daughters with baby-sitting chores through the years because she always wanted her children to graduate from college.

And now she's seeing that come to fruition.

"I can't wait," Rummel said of graduation day in May.