Jessica was incarcerated in 2023 leaving the single mom separated from her teenage son and daughter and unable to be with her mom who was her champion no matter what was happening. In her mid-thirties, she learned about the GED classes taught in jail by the Literacy Alliance and decided this was her best shot at making a life change for herself and for the benefit of her family.
Throughout the six months that she was incarcerated, Jessica attended the required weekly classes and took practice tests to make sure she was ready for the exams. One week at a time, she made it through each of the subject area tests: Reasoning through Language Arts, Math and Social Studies. Passing all, Jessica earned her GED certificate – the gold standard for adult diplomas; and she was just a few weeks away from being released.
Her teacher told her that following her release, she would not only be invited to attend the upcoming graduation ceremony for graduates in the community, but because of a grant from the Women’s Giving Alliance, the Literacy Alliance would support her with her continuing education.
Once Jessica was released, she attended the graduation ceremony with her son, daughter and mother. The following week, she was meeting with her teacher again, this time “on the outside,” and together they prepped for the college placement tests at FSCJ and applied for financial aid. Jessica is now enrolled in FSCJ for the Fall 2024 semester and has a financial aid grant to cover her tuition. Jessica is enrolled in the FSJC College of Human Services and wants to make a career out of helping others like her with organizations like the Literacy Alliance.