“I want my son to be proud of me when he gets older. I want to show him that it’s okay if you don’t always go down the right path at first.…..it’s what you do to make your life better that matters the most”.
Whitley Williams, a native of Appalachia, counts having her son at her GED graduation as the best moment of her life. Williams dropped out of high school in the 9th grade and battled health issues for several years. It wasn’t until she found out she was expecting her first child that she decided to finish her education to prepare for her future. She enrolled in GED classes at the RACE 1 Adult Education Class in Big Stone Gap because she wanted to be able to get a good job and provide for her son.
Whitley worked hard, and kept pushing despite the challenges of raising her son and finishing her education at the same time. And that hard work paid off in the form of a GED certificate AND a dream job. Williams is now a Neonatal Abstinence Outreach Worker for the Virginia Department of Health, where she is able to give back and help others. And despite the long and bumpy road that she has traveled over the last few years, she credits getting her GED to her success now.
“The road wasn’t easy, and there were times I wanted to give up. The good thing is you can take the process as fast or slow as you would like until you complete your GED. There is no time limit. No matter how long it takes you or what may come your way, you CAN push through and keep going. I promise the struggles will be worth it!”
Congratulations on landing your dream job, Whitley!
DID YOU KNOW? There is no time limit to complete your GED. By working at your own pace, degree completion varies with each student.
It is simple to enroll in any local adult education class by calling 844-697-2231. Our office staff would be happy to assist you!