I became a young mama to four children and was about to have number five at the age of 34. I still had dreams and goals that I would have loved to achieve, and I did not want to be a statistic for having kids at a young age and never graduating high school. So I enrolled in the high school diploma class. I made sacrifices and made it my top priority. With a lot of discipline, I made it happen. All things were possible thanks to encouraging staff members and God by my side. Shortly after receiving my high school diploma, I got my state license as a phlebotomist in the Medical Field.

I started learning English at Beaumont Adult School while also searching for jobs nearby. Before that, I had been trying to find a job for over two months without success. In class, our teacher not only taught us English but also helped us improve our job interview skills and showed us how to make a good resume and look for jobs online. Thanks to her guidance, I was able to get a job, and now I have several other job interviews lined up. I’m really grateful to Beaumont Adult School for offering these programs that have helped me so much in my job search journey.

I was a newcomer from Cambodia. Banning Adult School helped me get my HS Diploma, transition to Mt. San Jacinto College, and then the University of California Riverside. Ultimately, I received my teaching credential and currently teach math at Banning High School.

Today we prove that obstacles and people can’t stop you from achieving your dreams. It is all in your will to make things happen for yourself and how powerful your mindset can be and by achieving this small pebble on a big rocky path you show yourself and others that you can make it happen. With that in mind I share my diploma with my mother because I am showing her that I can make it happen. Mom I share this certificate with you, to show you that we can keep dreaming even when you think you can’t.

“Step by step, I am learning English,” she said. “Not big increments. Little by little, I am learning.”

"The instructors welcome questions and I like working at my own pace and also having the opportunity to practice with other students in class."

“I am so happy. I never thought I could get my GED,” Patty says. “When I took my last test and passed, I cried. I can’t believe it, but I did it.”

“They are professional, knowledgeable, and caring,” she says. “If any of us students needed help, they were there for us. They have provided a wonderful learning environment and foundation to build for further education.”

"My main objective is to have my own business, to obtain a good quality of life, and not depend on anyone."