MTC Tifton GED Student Feels Pinch of Struggling Economy
TIFTON, GA. Thirty-one-year-old Luisa Saavedra of Tifton knows first-hand that life without an education is even harder during a nationwide economic downturn.
She says not having her high school diploma or GED has been a stumbling block in her work life.
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Moultrie Technical College GED student Luisa Saavedra, left, is close to receiving her diploma after three months of assistance from MTC Tifton Campus Adult Education instructor Marla Hancock, left. |
“I have always been the one let go first, because I don’t have the education,” said Saavedra.
That’s why, after a recent job layoff, she became a student in Moultrie Technical College’s Tifton Campus Adult Education program in January.
She moved to Georgia 13 years ago from Florida at the age of 17 when her mother found a job at a meat packing facility in Vienna. When the family moved to Tifton, Saavedra was told that, due to state educational standards differences between the school systems, she would have to return to the ninth grade and work her way through again. This discouraging moment prompted her to drop out of school and go straight to work.
Shortly after, she married husband Al and began working as a Spanish to English language translator for a mobile home company and various other businesses.
The couple had two sons, Daniel and AJ, now eight and five, respectively. Both have been diagnosed with autism, and Saavedra found another reason to pursue her GED.
“I needed to get more education so I could help them.”
She says her family has supported her desire to receive her GED and continue her education with lots of encouragement. Her sons in particular have shown great eagerness for their mother to do well.
“When I got a 100 on an assignment, my son Danny put my paper on the refrigerator,” Saavedra added.
So far, their support and her hard work have been rewarded. She has passed all parts of the GED exam and expects to receive her scores from the writing portion of the test in early April.
Of her experience in MTC’s GED preparation program, Saavedra says, “It’s been wonderful. I have felt at home. I have made many new friends here and have spent time with some friends that I already knew, too.”
She says she likes the program because it is “…learning at a faster pace, which is perfect for me,” and wants others to know that, “…education is so important, there is no age limit.”
After receiving her GED, Saavedra plans to continue her education in the medical field and has her sights set on the Practical Nursing program at Moultrie Tech to start.
“I’ll be here at Moultrie Tech as long as I can,” she said.
Saavedra’s Adult Education instructor Marla Hancock at Moultrie Tech says of her student, “She is very enthusiastic, a hard worker. She is determined, creative and sets goals for herself. She also has great writing skills and is good with computers.”
“I expect wonders from Luisa. I think she will go far. She is a good example of what adult education can do. She’s a superstar,” concluded Hancock.
