Chloe Ashby of Chilhowie dropped out of high school during her eleventh grade year. Home problems had become overwhelming, so she opted to quit school and go to work. While working in the fast food industry, she soon discovered that she wanted to make more of her life and be able to achieve “real goals” as she put it.
The next step Chloe took was to search online and find out where and how she could earn her high school-level credential in the form of a GED® certificate. That’s when she picked up her phone and contacted Southwest Regional Adult Education.
Chloe wanted to attend a class, and the fact that the class was tuition-free was a plus. She felt it would be easier to achieve her goal if she came in person and did the work. After making that connection, Chloe began attending my GED® test prep class at the Russell County Career & Technology Center in Lebanon in mid-October.
Chloe was an industrious learner who attended class regularly and worked diligently to hone her skills needed for the test. Chloe had a plan to move to Nashville, Tennessee as soon as she obtained her GED® certificate, so there was no time to waste.
During her time as an adult student, Chloe was still faced with challenges. She commented, “It is hard to stay focused when you are dealing with family issues and are being put down all the time. You have to remind yourself that you can do these things and be successful and that I am no less of a person because I didn’t finish high school.” Chloe experienced success in the program very quickly. After just two weeks of study, she passed two of the four GED® subject tests. Then, a week and a half later, the unexpected happened; Chloe’s move to Nashville was expedited.
Chloe expressed that she was able to overcome the challenges she faced with God’s help and with her teacher’s help. She said, “You didn’t just let me leave. You kept pushing me, and I needed that.” On November 6, the day before moving to Nashville, Chloe came to the Russell County GED® Testing Center and took her remaining two tests. We both cried when we got the good news that she had passed both tests and earned her GED® certificate!
Chloe was so excited and relieved to have accomplished her goal before moving. It was hard for her to believe she had passed the GED® tests after being in class only three and a half weeks.
Chloe Ashby’s success proves that dedication, hard work, and persistence pays off in adult education! Chloe now has her high school-level credential and is ready to take her next steps which she hopes will be a career training program and eventually college.
If you didn’t finish high school, it’s not too late to achieve that goal. Contact Southwest Regional Adult Education at 276-889-5424 to register for a class.