Two Women Overcome Personal Challenges to Earn Their GED from Poway Adult School

By Brianna Millican, Student Intern

 

Their diplomas, earned through the Poway Adult School GED program, symbolize not only academic accomplishment but also their determination and perseverance in overcoming both obstacles.

 

Holly Vernon did not have a traditional childhood. Growing up as a gypsy with her mom and two older sisters, Holly was denied the luxury of a formal education. However, her independent and curious spirit led her down a path of self-discovery.  At 19, Holly embarked on a life journey that wound its way along the western coast before settling in San Diego. An opportunity through a friend landed her a position as an inverter technician at a solar company, igniting her passion for engineering.

Hoping to advance her career within the engineering space and one day own her own business, Holly committed herself to complete her GED. With support from friends and family Holly completed her GED with honors at Poway Adult School.

Today, Holly is elated to have her GED and looks forward to continuing to break boundaries in the male-dominated field of inverter technician engineering. She believes in standing strong against the odds and pushing boundaries. Her advice to other females who are struggling to find their own path in a male-dominated workforce is simple: “Stick with it! If that’s your passion don’t let people say you can’t do it!”

 

After two serious car accidents, years of rehabilitation, and a mishap with the records system, Stefanie Gonzalez has finally completed her GED for the second time.

 

At the age of 16, Stefanie got into a serious car accident that forced her to drop out of high school and complete her first GED in 1999. She worked in the hospitality industry for many years and later worked as a nanny for a family with children with special needs. Stephanie discovered her passion for helping others during her work as a nanny. In 2016, Stefanie was involved in another car accident that resulted in a severe brain injury, affecting her speech and sequence abilities, and suffering from vertigo and continuous migraines. After six years of healing, Stefanie started the journey to complete her GED for the second time.

With the help of Poway Adult school counselor, Mendy Glogowski, and Poway Adult School instructor, Kelly Hathaway, Stefanie conquered her test anxiety to pass the California GED test in just 45 days. “I can not say enough good things about those ladies,” Stefanie said. “They were God-sent. They were exactly what I needed.” Stefanie hopes to continue her education at Palomar college in pursuit of her ultimate goal: becoming a special education teacher. Now, Stefanie is excited to continue to work with children with special needs as a California State Registered Behavior Technician with the Poway Unified School District: "With all my brain injuries I really just want to help people that need help,” she said.

Congratulations to all of the Poway Adult School summer graduates! For more information on earning your high school diploma, visit their website.