Madison Renee Helmer
Congratulations to the class of 2022! We made it!
Everyone sitting here today should feel proud! We all did what it took to get here. Everyone sitting here today has a story.....I want to share with you some of my story and how I got here. I am a single mother of 4 beautiful kids. I got pregnant and had my first child at 15. Being a teen mom has been one of the most challenging roles in my life as of yet, and school unfortunately took a backseat to my life as a mother. I tried to continue and finish my education but at the age of 18 I ended up dropping out completely, adding to the sadly high number of teen moms who do not graduate. I knew I wanted to finish but the timing never seemed right and life just took over. As I got older I realized finishing school needed to be a priority. I made several attempts to go back and finish through several different adult programs, even considered just getting my GED. It wasn't until I found this program that I was able to accomplish my goal to graduate. With my busy schedule, the flexibility of this program really made this possible for me. I got to move at my own pace and there wasn't any pressure on me except the pressure I put on myself. I had to want it and for the first time in a long time, I really wanted it. And now I get to sit here with you all and know I did this! I get to show my kids what it looks like to finish and my mom finally gets to watch me walk! Before I go I'll leave you with this quote by Thomas Jefferson, "If you want something you've never had, you have to do something you've never done."
