From Zero to Grad in 2-years flat
How support at Aloma helped Cadence turn from family tragedy and giving up before high school even began to become a graduate – in less than 2 years!
Everyone needs Support to be successful, the way Cadence sees it. She’s always strived to provide support to others but too often failed to find supports for herself, particularly after the passing of her father.
“I took the heaviest hit; sacrificing everything so others could be happy,” she says. That sacrifice included her education, as she dropped out of school in 8th grade. Years later, Cadence decided she was ready to get back on track and found her way to Aloma. Finally, she was ready for what she termed her “new journey” – one she would begin from scratch at 17 years old with 0 high school credits to her name.
Immediately, Cadence noticed that she had what she’d always craved: Support.
“I needed someone to hold me accountable,” she admits. “All the staff are super supportive and will help you with whatever you need at school, work, and at home.”
She also found a change in perspective – looking forward towards future goals rather than dwelling on the past – gave her clarity, hope and a new sense of purpose in her academics – as well as agency in choosing her own journey. “At Aloma, I had a clear goal of what I needed to achieve to get my life back. I felt like I had control.”
The turnaround was dramatic: 35 courses, 18 credits, a 3.58 GPA and, importantly, a high school diploma – all in less than two years while working a job!
“When I started, I had nothing on my transcripts, not a single credit. It was tough, and I was tired from working a job, but I tried my best. I surpassed many limits – I even passed my state tests on the first try!”
Cadence, two years removed from dropping out before even getting to high school, has plans to attend college, urges others to seek out the support they need and to keep looking forward.
“Never give up. No matter what you think you can do, you can surpass that with the right determination and the right people on your side.”
