John's Story
Help for a Grandpa who rescued his two grandsons ... MORE
|
|
 |
 |
"I believe I'm a diamond in the rough and that God didn't polish me until I came to Project: LEARN."
- Lecia Blackmon
Lecia expresses herself in a confident and engaging manner -- but it wasn't always this way. She admits that before entering the Education First program for GED instruction at Project: LEARN, she'd often respond to others with no more than a few brusque words.
In June 2007, Lecia passed the Ohio GED exam, the state's equivalent to a high school diploma for people who couldn't graduate from school in the traditional manner. Lecia is 46 years old and the mother of four children, and her graduation ceremony held at Trinity Cathedral in September was a long-overdue event for a woman who worked hard more than 28 years to raise a family on her own.
Hard Choices
"The reason I didn't finish high school when I was younger was that I became pregnant," says Lecia. "At that time, schools didn't allow pregnant girls to continue in their regular classes. You could be sent to a separate school with other pregnant girls, or drop out. I was in the 12th grade, but I put my education on the back burner because being a mother was more important to me."
For Lecia, getting a job and paying the bills put returning to school "on the back burner" for a long time. She's worked as a cashier over the years and always felt a part of her life was missing. "I regretted not graduating because I saw that I couldn't make a decent living and be paid fairly without that diploma."
Getting It Right
"But what really made me go to Project: LEARN was that I was tired of being a hypocrite to my children, always pushing them about the importance of finishing school," she continues. Three of her children graduated from high school and one of them is in college; the fourth, her youngest daughter, is a junior in high school.
"When I first started at Project: LEARN, I had to be tested to find out what my education level was," says Lecia. "It's a fast-paced program. They teach reading, writing, math and the other subjects you need to pass the GED test. There's even a Life Skills class you can take after you pass the GED. They want you to know what options are open to your future."
Stairway to a New Life
Sandra Garth, special projects director for Project: LEARN's Education First program, recalls how she met Lecia. "I was waiting for the elevator and Lecia came in the lobby. When the elevator opened, I went in and held the door for her, but she said, 'No, I never take the elevator,' and went up the stairs. I thought, 'She's a strange one.' So I got to my office, sat down at my desk and looked up a moment later and there Lecia was. She said, 'I'm here to get my GED.' I thought, "Oh Lord!" Sandra laughs remembering it. Sandra found out later that Lecia has a touch of claustrophobia, which is why she avoids elevators.
"From then on, Lecia was faithful about attending classes," Sandra continues. "She was determined to complete her instruction. Once, during the winter, the stairway door was locked when Lecia arrived for her class. She walked several blocks up the street to call from a pay phone to have someone come down the stairs to let her in."
So where is Lecia going from here? She's begun to help new students at Project: LEARN, tutoring them in reading and math. And she's enrolling in community college this winter to study accounting and business administration.
Lecia's future is already starting to sparkle.
Since 1974, over 10,000 adults have improved their literacy and other educational skills at Project: LEARN. To find out more about Project: LEARN or how you can participate as a volunteer tutor, call (216) 621-9483 or visit www.projectlearn.org.
United Way of Greater Cleveland funds Project: LEARN's literacy instruction programs, as well as nearly 180 other health and human service programs helping more than 400,000 people in our community each year. To find out how you can help the United Way of Greater Cleveland 2007 Campaign, call 216-436-2100 or donate online now.
|
|
|
