Lametris Lametris was the main caregiver in her family by age 10. By age 14 her first child was born. She moved back and forth between Cleveland and Detroit. Mornings came early as she woke her brothers, fed them breakfast and got them ready for school day by day. As a young, single mom, her responsibilities increased. Now she had to juggle work to provide for her family and attend school. By 18 she had her second child.
Lametris asked, “What do I need to do to graduate?” She was frustrated by the lack of communication from the school in telling her clear requirements to graduate. She juggled summer school, work, raising children, and somehow, she was one credit short of graduating. Her focus became a concentration of PTA meetings, soccer games, coaching cheerleading and work.
Life was hard and it took guts to look honestly at what she could do to improve it. Twelve years later, Lametris heard about the Adult Basic and Literacy Education, (ABLE) program through a neighbor. She went into the room and saw students younger than she was and doubted that anyone could help or identify with her. She stuck with the program and on her second attempt, achieved her GED, now a single mom of four. She was thankful for the kind people that helped her learn more. Her determination was her strength, “As a parent, I wanted always to help my kids.” Her work ethic continues to serve her well today at age 41.
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Heidi Bauer - "I had a good job, my own home, and a new baby but something was just missing. I wanted more out of life and that motivated me to go to college." Amenan Diby - "What counts is how I see myself." Sharita Jordan - "Anything I endeavor to do, I will succeed." Kimberly L. Patterson - "I have three children and six grandchildren, and it was not until a car accident in 1995, while not life threatening, was thought provoking with regard to my future." Bob Rojc - "I'm not leaving the planet without an education." Michael Smith - "In the right place at the right time." Al Watson - "I have too much invested not to finish."
