What We Do: Client Stories
GED scholarship changes resident’s life
Genevieve De la Garza had attempted to get her General Equivalency Diploma (GED) twice, but said she faced the same stumbling block both times—the $75 testing fee.
“Seventy-five dollars is a lot of money,” said Genevieve, 25-year-old mother of three and resident of Avion Place Apartments in San Antonio. “The testing fees were the main reason that I was never able to finish.”
That was until she read an advertisement about Merced’s Resident Services Program’s GED scholarship. Without hesitation, Genevieve called the Resident Services Coordinator at Avion Place Apartments. The scholarship, made available through a grant from the Ford Salute to Education, provides residents enrolled in GED with funds to pay for their full testing fees.
Today, Genevieve is proud to call herself a full-time college student. She passed her GED exams and is attending Palo Alto College in San Antonio, where she is working toward an Associate of Applied Science degree in Accounting.
As Genevieve reflects back on being a high-school drop-out and teen mother, she knows now more than ever the importance of an education. “I would like to tell other young mothers that education is very important if they want better for themselves and their kids,” she said.
Genevieve realizes that her life has changed dramatically, but said she is looking ahead toward new goals, which include owning a house, working for a bank, and continuing to have an impact on the lives of young girls through the Girl Scouts. “I know that I can accomplish my dreams,” she said. “I am so grateful to the Resident Services Program for guiding me to find resources that helped me reach my goal of obtaining my GED and furthering my education.”
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