About Me...
Recently I celebrated my 40th birthday. Honestly, at one point I was unsure if I would be around to see it. I was raised in a big family and was the youngest of six children. At the age of twelve my family relocated. We went from a city with a population of 450,000+ residents to a small town in the mountains with a population of 163 residents, it was definitely a culture shock. As a result, I acted out and experienced many educational hurdles.
In 1998, I dropped out of high school so I could have more freedom to make bad choices. In 2000, at the age of twenty I had my first child. Young, uneducated, and no clue how to raise a child since I still was a child myself. My daughter taught me that I was no longer the most important person in my life, she was. When she was one I met the love of my life, Donny. Love at first sight. For five years we were family-oriented, stable, lived life to the fullest, and had what most would call a happy little family.
On November 15th 2006 our lives were changed forever. Donny was tragically taken at the age of 25 in a motorcycle accident by a public transportation vehicle making an illegal left turn directly into his path. One senseless act of someone who just didn’t pay attention. What we lost that day shifted the course of our lives.
At the age of 26 I turned to illicit substances. Bad choices after bad choices lead to legal issues. In 2009, I gave birth to another child a boy. My bad choices continued and my legal problems got worse. There was only one choice left that I had and that was to seek professional help.
It was a success. I completed a program and found my new fire for life. In 2012, I became an AOD counselor and worked in the field for five years. In 2016, I was blessed with my third and final child, a girl. The father of my two youngest children began to make some bad choices and was very abusive. I wanted better for my children and I. There was no option unless I wanted to go down the dark path I was once on, we had to leave. Gratefully we relocated to Sacramento with my now fiancé Alex. There was one thing that was missing, I still did not have my high school diploma.
In 2018, at the age of 38, My fiancé Alex encouraged and supported me in returning to school to complete my high school diploma. On May 21st, 2018 I enrolled at Highlands Community Charter School and needed 35 academic credits to graduate. On October 27th, 2018 I earned my high school diploma and a 4.0 GPA. Highlands changed my life in ways I had never dreamed possible. Inspired and educated I was ready to conquer some goals. My first goal was to become part of the Highlands family as an employee instead of a student. Success!! Six months after graduation I was extended an employment offer from HCCTS for Office Assistant for The Center for WorkForce Solutions. My second goal was to continue my education. Highlands introduced our new online Career Technical Education platform iCEV, which includes seven Industry recognized certifications in different platforms. Highlands Cheif Operations Officer, Mike Reid extended the offer for me to take all seven certifications, which was an absolute blessing. Thus far I have completed; Southwest Airlines Professional Communication, Express Employment Business Office Technology, Express Employment Career Preparedness and I am more than halfway through Small Engine Technology. As Highlands Community Charter & Technical Schools continues to grow I am confident that I will continue to grow with the organization and personally. And my journey continues…….