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Success Stories

Katrina-Was She My Friend or Enemy?

by Diedra Taylor

Hello, my name is Diedra Taylor and I would like to share a little about myself with you. Let me start by saying I’m from New Orleans, Louisiana. I lived there all my life. I’m a mother of four wonderful kids.

I had a very hard life. As a single mother, I would get up every day and go to work just to pay bills. What very little money I had left was to take care of my kids. I stopped going to school in the 7th grade because I had a very hard time understanding the work and no one would take time out to help me. The only job I could get was housekeeping. I wanted to go to school but how could I with four kids to take care of?

As time went on I just lived from day to day until August 28, 2005. We were told to take a few things, lock our doors to our homes, and go somewhere safe. I told my kids we were going out of town for a few days - we never made it home. Around 4:30 a.m. my kids and I was in a hotel room. I was looking at the news and all I could see was water over New Orleans. All I could think about was my home and the people that were left behind. I was a first time home buyer. I bought my home March, 2004 and it was destroyed August, 2005. I sat up in the bed and looked at my kids and all I could do was cry - our life was over.

The next day it was all over the news - New Orleans was gone underwater. People were fighting for their life. I began to cry out to God “where will we go?” We stayed in the hotel two and one half weeks. As I began to pray I remembered this pastor, Terrance Reed. My kids and I went to his church a few times. I called him and asked him for help. He told me to come to Weatherford, Texas. I didn’t know how to get there so on my way I would stop and ask people if I was going the right way. Once we got there I was so depressed until I needed something to do so I started going to GED School. Well, I’m happy to say it has been a long road but I made it. In spite of the hardships and pain, one year later I received my GED. I also passed the Nurses Aide Examination. Now I’m a Certified Nurses Aide. My kids and I are living in Weatherford, Texas. We made it.

WE MADE IT!

About the Author

Diedra Taylor is a GED recipient from Weatherford ISD Adult Education. Her instructor was John Beverung.

Teachers Complete the Credential

As participation in the Texas Adult Education Credential Project continues to increase, two more teachers have successfully completed all requirements necessary to earn the Credential! On Wednesday, April 25, 2007 Debbie Janysek became the second teacher to be awarded the Credential. The following day, Thursday, April 26, 2007, John Hodges completed his Credential.

Debbie Janysek is employed as a teacher in the South Central GREAT Region. She has been a teacher of adult education for four years and currently teaches Intermediate and Advanced ESL for Victoria College Adult Education Center. Not only has Debbie completed all requirements necessary to earn the Credential, but she did so at a record pace. She earned her Credential in two months! By taking advantage of the ability to use previously completed professional development and by selecting intensive and sustained written activities as opposed to short workshops, she optimized her point earning capability and minimized the number of reflections she had to submit.

John Hodges belongs to the South GREAT Region. He currently teaches ABE-ASE Grade equivalent 7th –12th grades at Del Mar College in Corpus Christi, Texas. He has worked in Adult Education for six years. John is the primary trainer for the Credential Professional Development Planning Workshops (PDPW) for the South Regional GREAT Center and has been a strong supporter of the Credential project.