When I began the adult education program in Waterville, I was concerned about how I was going to make this work in my busy daily life. I was emancipated at age 14. I left school and had my first child at 15. I got married and became a stay-at-home mom. School was not first on my list for a long while. My reason for wanting to go back to school was to show my girls how important it is to earn that high school diploma. I faced many challenges as I began this journey of learning. All the teachers and staff were helpful.

My first year in this program was very hard as I was working and I just wanted to give up. I would take on classes and then drop them because I just didn’t have the time to take all the classes. I often just wanted to give up. The teachers were good at encouraging me to stay with the program even though it was hard. They had me take on fewer classes to help me manage until I was in a good place to take on more.

Today, I’ve completed 11 credits (because of a new cohort program started this year). Now, I am scheduled to graduate in the fall of 2022 and march in the spring of 2023.

Today if I was in front of someone who was looking to go back to school I would tell them to go back. Everyone at the Waterville adult ed program is very helpful and does their best to meet your needs so you can complete your education. I would also tell them to not give up because life can get crazy and the girls at the school are there to help you through life’s crazy challenges. The one sentence you will hear from all of them is, “Just don’t quit!” And they mean that! “You’re here! You’re here, that’s all that matters!”

Pamela Perkins

Waterville