Options! A Program of Employment, Empowerment and Economic Independence

I am a Police Officer

I had two four kids, a worthless boyfriend and had worked all sorts of odd jobs when one day I found myself at the community college looking for help.

Someone directed me to the single parent program.

I took some tests and was given a list of careers offered at the college and I decided I wanted to go into law enforcement. All those CSI TV shows had really inspired me.

I lost 20 pounds after Jim McAuliffe* ran my backside off with all that running.

The physical part of the 16 week course was really hard. Most nights I went home exhausted but still had to put in long hours of studying.

All the classroom work was rough but I was determined.

The director was a no-nonsense person who constantly checked our grades and attendance.

She even came out to the gun range and showed us she knew how to shoot a gun and if she did we could certainly learn and we did.

The program paid for all my uniforms, my background check, all my child care and a review course for the state exam as well as paid for the state exam.

There is no way I could have done it with their help.

I passed the state exam.

I have since completed an Associate of Science Degree in Criminal Justice.

I am a Police Officer

I am a Nurse

In 1995 my husband of 12 years left me and our four children to pursue “other interests.” I had barely graduated high school when I found out I was pregnant, we got married and the rest is history.

I went to the Single Parent Program where I attended a series of classes and took a million tests.

I spent a lot of time crying and worrying and finally Ms. Ede told me to “get my stuff” together and get busy. I did just that.

It wasn’t easy but I had tons of help. The program paid for my school where the pell grant left off, they paid for my uniforms and supplies and even got me a grant for childcare. I also had my very own personal cheerleader.

Unfortunately, I had almost an entire year of remedial work (Ms Ede called it “college prep” which made me feel better) before I could take the Certified Nursing Assistant course. I passed the course and the exam and became a CNA.

I worked for a year.

Then I returned to the college and took the HHA (home health aide).

I worked for six months and then took the three pre-requisites for the License Practical Nurse program.

I worked two years and even worked a second job to have money to live on while I spent a year going to school for the LPN degree.

I told Ms Ede that I was going to start taking the pre-requisites for the RN program. Which I did.

Four years later I began the two year RN program.

In May of 2009 I graduated with honors with an Associate of Science degree in Nursing.

In July of 2009 I passed the Florida State Boards and am now a full time Registered Nurse at Florida Hospital.

I am an R.N.

I am a Lawyer

I was a 43 year old man whose wife went into the hospital to deliver our first child and promptly left the hospital within 8 hours without the baby and without me.

The attorney who handled my divorce sent me to the displaced homemakers program where I was convinced I could get into a career where I would be able to make enough money to support myself and my son. I had previously been a bartender and I was not able to find night time childcare.

I was fortunate I had been a fairly decent high school student although not very motivated and passed the college placement exams with a good enough score to get right into the Associate Science Legal Assisting program.

For the next two years the displaced homemakers program found enough money to pay where the pell grant couldn’t, paid a ton of money for Bradley’s childcare and always made me feel the sacrifices I was making were for all the right reasons. There were a few real rough semesters and I shed a few tears in private, as did my son.

In 1998 I received my Legal Assisting degree.

In the spring of 1999 had completed the six classes I needed to get my Associate of Arts degree.

In the fall of 1999 I started at the University of Central Florida.

In the spring of 2001 I received my Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice.

In the fall of 2001 I started the University Of Miami College Of Law.

In the spring of 2004 I received my law degree.

In the summer of 2004 I passed the Florida Bar.

Bradley is eight years old, I am 51 and we are both sane.

I am a Lawyer

I am an Automotive Technician

Yes, I can fix your car!)

One day in 2000 I saw an ad in the Orlando Sentinel saying some nonsense about an equity grant that had money to pay for school if I wanted to go into a career that was non-traditional for my gender, whatever that meant. That certainly was quickly explained to me!

I told the director of the program that I liked to tinker and that my dad and three brothers had showed me how to work on cars and I thought I would like to do something like that. She introduced me to the chair of the automotive program for Ford Motor Company at the college.

Lots of testing and a few remedial classes in math followed.

I entered the Ford Asset program after the equity grant paid for my uniforms and provided me with $5,000.00 worth of tools and equipment.

The program was set-up where you went to classes one semester and worked at a dealership the next. Mrs. Slovin was not deterred when the automotive program could not secure a co-op for me (because they didn’t know what to do with a female). She went to every Ford dealership in the area until she convinced Don Reid Ford to let me co-op with them.

I had some challenges with boys behaving like boys but once they realized I knew what I was doing I was accepted.

I was the first female to ever graduate with a two year Associates degree in Automotive Technology from the college.

I went to work for Don Reid Ford, then onto Longwood Lincoln Mercury.

I was the first female and the youngest person ever to pass all eight Ford Motor Company Certifications for Master Mechanic.

I was honored as the “Most Outstanding Success Story” by the Woman’s Work Organization in Washington, DC.

However, my biggest accomplishment was when Ede let me work on her car and her husband lived through the experience.

I am an Automotive Technician