Nadia Stephens, a senior at Towne East Learning Center, is very happy to graduate high school after some issues in her family caused her to stop taking classes.
She was attending online through Education Imagine Academy when her father passed away in the summer of 2020. Her grandfather passed away a few months later.
“Losing my grandfather was an extremely hard loss for me. I didn’t do anything, not even school, and it really set me back,” she said. “It still has an effect on me.”
Nadia said additional family issues caused her to completely disregard getting an education because she had to focus on what was happening at home. After a while, Nadia realized she needed to focus on completing her education and getting a diploma, because she knew it would be harder to finish high school if she waited.
She attended Towne East Learning Center starting in her senior year to help her get caught up on credits so she could graduate.
“I like this school a lot. Everybody is always ready to help you and very understanding,” she said. “I was very thankful to be able to get into this school.”
She will be the first in her family to graduate high school. Her grandfather who passed away earned a GED and wanted her to graduate with a high school diploma, so he was her inspiration.
“I feel very proud of myself that I was able to accomplish this. Months ago, I didn’t think I could do this,” Nadia said.
Nadia has a job and plans to continue working there after she graduates. She is also a member of a local band and will continue to perform.
