Krystal J.
Learner, GED Graduate
They say “Knowledge is Power”. I couldn’t agree more. Knowledge has given me power over my life, and finally, my future. Every day I rise out of bed excited to face my day. Education gave me hope for every possibility to achieve my dreams. I’m so fortunate to have had all the family, friends, teachers, directors, workers and fellow students who helped support and guide me along the way. Even when I wanted to give up on myself, they never did. They believed in me until I learned how to believe in myself. This was not always the case.
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I have spent most of my adult life trying to fix the damage my broken childhood caused, and escape the cycle. School became nonexistent growing up with an addict. Don’t misunderstand me, I love my father and he loved us, but that doesn’t change the fact that he caused us to grow up in a toxic environment filled with drugs, while exposing us to things no child should see. I did not have rules, routine, schedules, expectations, guidance, or discipline. All things children desperately need.
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Once I became an “adult”, it became impossible to just be normal. When I say “adult”, I mean a 17-year-old child who became a single mother, in public housing, with no education, no future, and no way out. I always seemed to make the wrong choices. How could I make the right ones when I had no role models or clue of what I was doing?
One thing I was proud of myself for is raising my children. When it came to their care, guidance, rules, routine, structure, and surroundings, I went by the book. My children thrived. As a scared child myself upon becoming a mom, I made sure I was educated in parenting. At 16, while pregnant, alone, and scared to death, I knew the life I grew up in was not what I was going to allow my child and I did everything I could to learn how to be better.
If I could become a better parent with proper knowledge, I could build a better life too. I had to become better than my past. People don’t always survive the life I did. I’m so lucky I made it out and I refuse to waste the chance I had been given to build a better future. I needed to be better, my entire life needed to be better. The only foundation I didn’t have that could help me achieve the future I wanted was an education.
It wasn’t easy, I must have wanted to give up a thousand times. I would be doing so well, then something would happen in my personal life that I couldn’t cope with and I would drop out again. I never gave up though, I couldn’t, I won’t.
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I have now been to high school 5 times, and am currently almost finished my second attempt at college. I’ll be graduating with honors very shortly, something I never dreamed possible, not for someone like me. I also finally achieved my GED recently while in college, and cried I was so proud of myself. I’m so in love with my life, the career path I now get to walk down, and all the incredible strong willed, intelligent, outgoing, and driven people I’m surrounded with.
Today, I can finally say I know what my future will be, it will be amazing. For my children and myself. They already have a stable life with a normal childhood. My girls are thriving at school, busy with swimming lessons and we visit the library every week. They have watched their mother get back up, no matter what kicked me down, every time just to try even harder. They will take that strength with them into their futures. They will get their education and reach for their dreams too. I often hear ‘education doesn’t matter’ and I’m here to tell you, it’s given me everything. It’s given me a life I can be proud of.
I am so incredibly thankful to be an educated adult and for all the support everyone in my life has given me. Especially the Halifax Community Learning Network for always being there to take me back with no judgment every time life made me want to give up. Also thanks to Eastern College for being a constant source of encouragement during both attempts at a diploma. My current instructor Heather Rose is such a powerful role model for us all, particularly me. She makes me want to work just as hard as she does.
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Lastly, but most importantly, I’m so incredibly grateful to one of my best friends Jess. Without her help, I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to return to learning. She has helped me on so many personal levels to have the mental strength to return to any of it.
Even if you think no one cares, I can tell you they do. Don’t ever give up. I’m proof you can change everything.
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