From likely dropout to health care professional: Alt Ed turns a life around

When Laura's family moved south in 2002, she chose to remain in the Capital Region with friends to finish her junior and senior years of high school. Not too far into the academic year, her difficulties at the large suburban school had escalated to the point where it was suggested that she consider dropping out.

“I said, ‘No, I am going to graduate.’ I didn’t want them to defeat me,” Laura recalled. She was “two weeks away from dropping out of high school” when she applied, wrote an essay and was accepted into Career & Tech's Alternative Education (Alt. Ed.) program at the Albany campus. "Without Alt. Ed., I would probably be a dropout and [living] on the streets.”

Laura went on to earn her diploma and also to complete Career & Tech’s Nurse Assistant program in 2004. She is currently employed as a nurse’s aide at an Albany hospital and is working toward her nursing degree from Maria College. “I was so happy to earn my C.N.A. (Certified Nurse Assistant license) in 12th grade,” said Laura. “The C.N.A. program got me into nursing, and I’m especially thankful for Alt. Ed., which has helped so many students. I always talk about it.”

Laura said she benefited from Alt. Ed.’s smaller class sizes and one-to-one assistance from teachers, counselors and support staff. “At Alt Ed, my teachers became my family. My Alt. Ed. math teacher could teach me more math in 45 minutes than I had learned in two years at my old school. My science teacher was great.

"During my senior year, the [Career & Tech] school social worker came to my apartment with two boxes of canned goods, a turkey and gifts; they were donated through the school’s holiday drive for needy students. Each year at Thanksgiving, I feel a little sad, but in a good way, because I am always thankful for that!”

The only thing that upsets Laura about Alt. Ed. is when a student doesn’t seem to appreciate the program and the opportunities it provides. “I had gone to high school in a big district, and it’s really hard sometimes, especially if you don’t have the right guidance. Alt. Ed. was the best choice I could possibly have made, and I really appreciate it. I was the first person in my family to graduate high school.”

Once she completes her nursing degree from Maria College, Laura would like to acquire medical-surgical experience and work in intensive care. Eventually, she would like to work as traveling nurse, accepting assignments around the country and globe. Some day, she would like to live in Ireland.

[11/08]

Update October 2009:
Laura earned her associate's in nursing from Maria College and is now employed by St. Peter's Hospital, Albany, in the intensive care unit, a position she "absolutely loves!"