Student Spotlight: Zoey

When Zoey first came to The Literacy Alliance, she wasn’t sure what to expect. Looking back now, she has one thing she wishes she could tell her earlier self: “It’s going to be easier than you think.”

That kind of clarity tends to come with experience, and Zoey has earned hers. She worked through the program, earned her high school equivalency (HSE) diploma, and came out the other side with something more than a credential. She came out with confidence.

Her advice for new students is both practical and refreshingly honest. “You are getting your HSE and you should be proud of that,” she says, a reminder that the work itself matters, regardless of how long the road was to get there. And when it comes to studying, she has a strategy worth borrowing: tackle the hard stuff first. “Focus on what you’re less confident in first. Leave the easy stuff for last.” It sounds simple, but it shifts the whole mindset from avoiding discomfort to walking straight toward it.

As for what comes next, Zoey already has a plan in motion. She is heading to Ivy Tech to study baking and pastry, and she has her eye on a bakery near her home where she hopes to work. She knows where she is going, and she has a path to get there.

When asked whether she would recommend The Literacy Alliance to others, her answer was immediate. “Everyone is very nice and helpful, and the environment was really good for me. It could be good for others.”

Zoey’s story is a reminder that the first step is often the hardest, and that once you take it, the rest tends to follow.