Pursuing a Dream and Finding Motivation Through Her Children
December 6, 2021
Please note: This article was originally posted during a previous school year. Information and/or dates from past events
may be not be relevant for the current school year.
Two motivating forces convinced Sonya Armstead she needed to finish her education: her children and the desire to drive a school bus. While circumstances early on in life caused her to drop out of school, Sonya has returned, ready to pursue her goals.
By completing the HiSET, Sonya will be eligible to achieve a life-long dream of driving a school bus. “I’ve always wanted to drive. When I was a kid, I liked to see the buses in motion. I get excited to this day to see the buses.”
More importantly, she will be demonstrating positive actions for her children.
When her children reached middle and high school, she began reflecting on her own choices, soon realizing she needed to complete her education. “I didn’t want to be a hypocrite. I am pushing them to get their education, but I dropped out. I can’t ask them to do something I’m not willing to do.”
They have been encouraging her ever since. “I have my kids motivating me. I can come home and say, ‘I passed my test.,’ and they cheer me on.” With her sights set on finishing school this year, she is proud of the message she is sending to her son and daughter. “The biggest thing is, maybe I didn’t complete it then. I am doing it now. It’s not how you start; it’s how you end.”
Originally, Sonya wanted to graduate with her son. The team at the Adult Education Center motivated her to finish this year instead of waiting. “I always thought I wanted to walk right behind him,” she said. “They encouraged me to get there first, so I can lead him.”
Returning to school has not always been easy. Support from Sonya’s children and her teachers is the difference. “It’s hard. But if you’re determined and put your mind to it, you can do it. People make time for what they want.”
The relationship with her teachers has made a big difference in her confidence in the classroom. “When I was a kid, there were a lot of things I wouldn’t ask for help with because I didn’t want people to tease me.” The Education Center has been a welcoming place. “Here, I make sure I go to (the teacher) if I don’t understand because they don’t know if you don’t say anything. I probably would have given up if it weren’t an atmosphere where I thought someone would help me.”
Caring for others is essential to Sonya, and it is one of the underlying reasons she wants to become a bus driver. She understands first-hand some of the struggles children face in and out of their homes. “A lot of these kids just want to be heard. They need someone who listens. As a child, I was shut out. It makes you act out in other areas and places,” she said. “When children go to school, they want to know, ‘I’m safe here.’ You have to have a certain way with them. I want to make sure I am different with my kids and with other kids. I want them to know they’re heard.”
Sonya continues to push forward in her pursuit, with her children supporting her journey. “I can’t wait until that day comes,” she said, thinking about her first day driving. But it’s more than just one career. It’s the multitude of opportunities that loom just over the horizon that only education can bring. “I’m determined with the HiSET to move forward.”