Page 7 - AD Spring 2018 newsletter

Meet Kelly. A young woman who despite a number of life challenges has refused to give up on herself or her family.
Kelly became a teen parent at a time in her life when she should have been enjoying her high school experience and planning her future. Instead, Kelly quickly learned how dif- ficult it is to raise a child while still developing as a young adult herself. Her choices led to a strained relationship at home and soon after, a change in her living situation.
As if life hadn’t become challeng- ing enough, her daughter’s father passed away exactly one day before her 1st birthday. Two days later, Kelly lost her “big” brother “who was “reallylikemybestfriend”. Kelly says, “This had a huge impact on my life and still does to this day”.
Despite her grief, Kelly was determined to earn her High
School Diploma. With the help of her father and an “amazing wom- an”, Ms. Ada Dixon (a teen parent program coordinator) she stayed in school, “to continue on and become the woman and mother I needed to be for my daughter”.
This isn’t the end of Kelly’s story.
In her 11th grade year she began
struggling and against the advice
of her father and Ms. Dixon, Kelly
droppedoutofschool. But,she
was still determined to get her high school diploma, so she enrolled at Brevard Adult and Community Education’s High School Diploma program taking both day and night classes. Six months later, Kelly earned her High School Diploma, a year ahead of schedule. After that, she started working to support her daughter.
This isn’t the end of Kelly’s story.
Kelly had plans to enter college immediately after graduat- ingwithherHighSchoolDiploma. Beforeshecouldenroll, her daughter was rushed to the hospital with a shattered femurboneandwasputinafullbodycast. Collegewould havetowait. Kellyhadtotakeabreakfromworkingto care for her daughter. After six long weeks, the cast came off and Kelly had to teach her daughter how to walk again.
When her daughter made a full recovery, Kelly returned to work and refocused on starting college. Not knowing where to start, Kelly went to [CareerSource Brevard], took a short class and met “another amazing woman”, Mrs. Bev- erlyGibson-Brown. “Beverlyexplainedtomethediffer-
ent options and opportunities I had.” Kelly was interested in the medical field.
“There were classes to take, paperwork to fill out, and a lot of effort on my part but, Beverly never let me slack. She was there every step to guide me and remind me of things I had to do and places I had to be. [Beverly] saw the potential in me that I did not see in myself. She pushed me to go forward and achieve my goals.”
Kelly’s hard work paid off. She was approved for a skills training scholarship through CareerSource Brevard’s [NextGen] program and met yet another goal by starting college to become a Medical Assistant. “My instructor was yet another amazing woman named Rose Farhat-Goodson [Keiser Uni- versity]. She soon came to know my story and pushed me to finish the program, not only for me but for my daughter”.
“There were a lot of long nights working as a waitress and a lot of early mornings trying to make it to school [on time]. Many days
I would think it was too much, being a single mom, working, and school. But with the help of my dad and my very understanding instructor Rose, I graduated.” Soon after, Kelly interned with
a local business. Her internship supervisors must have been impressed because they offered her a job after the internship ended. Kelly works with children from around the world who have Autism and other special needs. “It is truly an amazing and life changing job”. Although starting as a Medical Assistant, Kelly has been promoted and now has two roles as a Medical Assistant and Office Manager.
This isn’t the end of Kelly’s story.
Working two jobs for the last five and half years has been a tremendous struggle but again, her “never quit” attitude paid off. Kelly is now the proud owner of her own home. “Hav- ing a house that my children can call home is one of the big- gest, most fulfilling achievements that I have accomplished”.
“I truly believe the influence and guidance that my father [truly my hero], Ms. Dixon, Rose, and Beverly [offered to me by] not letting me give up, has made me a much stron- ger woman and mother to my children”.
Kelly still works two jobs, dedicating herself to Autism awareness and waitressing at night. “The satisfaction of
Meet Kelly
“You just have to keep fighting for what you want and deserve, keep pushing forward in life, and don’t ever give up”
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