At CLC, I have found in myself strength that I never knew I had.I’m showing my kids that it’s not the mistakes that you make in life that are important; it’s how you learn from those mistakes.
我在一个犯罪猖獗的社区长大，17岁就高中毕业了。多年来，我一直在做低技能的仓库和组装工作，同时独自抚养四个孩子。Eventually, I thought there must be a better life. So, at age 32, I enrolled in CLC’s GED program. I am now a CLC student majoring in sociology, and my confidence level has skyrocketed.
GED课程的老师都很好，很有耐心。他们鼓励我去参观写作中心和数学老师。一开始，我很不好意思去见数学老师，因为我害怕这个科目，用手指做乘法。但我决定每天都去看数学家教，这种重复得到了回报。今天，我喜欢数学。
At the GED graduation ceremony in 2014, my mom and kids were in the audience, and when I walked up to receive my diploma, it was an overwhelming, I-can’t-believe-it experience.I felt that God was giving me a second chance, and I had tears in my eyes.
When I first enrolled as a non-traditional CLC student, I thought “Oh, my gosh. There’ll be nobody here but the 18-22 crowd.” But soon, I saw many ages in my classes. We all fit in at CLC because age doesn’t matter here.
After earning my bachelor’s and master’s degrees, I’d love to work for a county agency as a social workerbecause my passion is to use my own life experience to help others. I’d like to show how it’s never too late to start anew, and I’m happy to be living the dream at age 36.
The CLC professors have been excellent and so supportive. When I started the college-level courses, I didn’t know how to take notes. But after taking a class, Becoming a Successful College Student, and earning an A, I’ve been succeeding ever since. In an English Composition class, the professor had a passion for teaching and directed the class to write memoirs. She showed us how to introduce a story and use a descriptive memory of a smell or taste to grab the reader’s attention. I love writing now, and I want to write my own story.
The staff in CLC’s Women’s Center have been wonderful, too. I can talk to the staff about anything, and I won’t be judged. It’s really amazing to see the different services that CLC has.