Written by Grace Park, AmeriCorps VISTA
Three years ago Mariya Saunders, who grew up and still lives in North Philadelphia, made a courageous decision: to pursue a high school diploma. “I [had] finished ninth grade and stopped school in 10th grade,” she now recalls.
So even while caring for her two young children, Saunders enrolled in the Mercy Neighborhood Ministries’ Adult Education and Workforce Development program. “I needed a lot of help and a lot of tutoring, and it was a place in the neighborhood that was close by. I didn’t have to go far. It wasn’t too expensive. It was affordable.”
In the midst of her studies, Saunders’ schedule became even more demanding. “I had two kids and a husband. Then I got pregnant and [had] three kids. So it was kind of difficult doing homework with a newborn.” This prompted a pause in her enrollment. “I was in the program for three years. I could have done [it in] two, but I stopped for a year-and-a-half because I had a baby.”
Even with that delay, Mariya Saunders never gave up the dream of achieving a high school diploma. Once the baby was old enough, she returned to Mercy Neighborhood to finish her studies. The staff of the program were her biggest boosters. “The teachers are very nice here, very sweet people. They’re always checking in on you. If you miss a class, they’re calling [and asking] why you missed class [and] what happened, so I really appreciated that.”
The Mercy Neighborhood program is one of many community-based organizations in the City’s myPLACE network that provide adult learners access to resources that positively prepare them and advance their futures. This includes:
- High school equivalency preparation
- Reading, writing, math
- English for speakers of other languages
- Digital literacy classes
Now, three years later, Mariya Saunders is proud of her three beautiful children, and equally proud of her new GED certificate. “Before doing this, you’re just a mom, a wife going through your regular days. But now I have something of my own. Something I did myself. So it feels pretty good to say I completed this. It was hard but I did it and I’m excited to move onto the next step in life. It took me a little while to get here, but I made it.”
Her next step: obtaining a Bachelor of Science in Accounting at Strayer University. “I feel comfortable in accounting. I want to do some internships, to figure out if I want to stick with finance, audit – where I want to take my degree. I know that’s my first step.”
MyPLACE classes help residents get the skills they need for work and life. Free classes are available, and learners can participate in virtual learning during COVID-19.
