Student Update: Rachel

We have recently started reconnecting with our former students through a “Where Are They Now” contest. Last quarter, Rachel was our winner!

As a homeschooled child who only went up to eighth grade, I was always very insecure about my education and intelligence.

When I was eighteen, I moved to Bolivia, South America, and taught English for over a year. There, I discovered that I loved teaching. When I came back to Indiana after my foray into teaching English, I knew I needed to keep teaching, or there would forever be an unfulfilled longing in my heart. I also knew that my first step would have to be obtaining a high school diploma—otherwise, nobody would want to hire me as a teacher.

Through some friends who were working on their diplomas, I found out about The Literacy Alliance. The staff was so helpful with my pretests and getting me started with class study. I was very ignorant in math but gradually snuck math into my routine until I was doing algebra. Through every practice test, I slowly overcame my insecurities and fears.

Finally, my teacher told me I was ready to take my test. I was relieved but also anxious. The site coordinator walked me step by step through exactly what I needed to do. The Literacy Alliance staff does everything they can to make the student’s experience as stress-free as possible.

On my first day of testing, I felt competent, so it was only moderately nerve-wracking. Then, on the second day, I had my math test. That was brutal. My poor teacher had to put up with “I know I will fail” texts from me, but she kept encouraging me. I almost cried with relief when I found out I had passed all my tests! I talked about my experience with anybody who would listen because I wanted them to know that if insecure, scared me could do it, they could too. I wanted people to understand that The Literacy Alliance is a stress-free environment that will help you. They won’t leave you to study on your own, and you won’t have to figure out how to do the testing on your own—they will guide you every step of the way.

I became such a strong advocate that I volunteered with them for five years as a tutor. Since earning my GED, many opportunities have opened up for me to fulfill my dream of teaching. Right out of class, I got hired as a private tutor for two students. Through that and tutoring with The Literacy Alliance, my confidence in academics grew until I had four students. I was tutoring in all subjects, including one college student I was helping with calculus. I never would have believed that could be possible before earning my GED.

Currently, I am working as a manager at a thrift store that supports a private school and saving up for college. One of my goals has been to make enough money to go to college debt-free. I am so thankful to say that that will potentially happen in a few years. I am incredibly excited about where my experience with The Literacy Alliance has taken me.