The COVID-19 pandemic has turned the world upside down. With students transitioned to online learning at home, many parents have been tasked with the challenge of also becoming their child’s teacher for the rest of the school year. This challenge helped Amy Romero, a mom and LearningQuest grad, find a new strength within herself.
Amy was raised in a very close-knit family with a wonderful childhood in Ceres, California. Like many young girls, she had dreams and ambitions to shoot for the stars. However, things changed when she became pregnant and dropped out of high school to become a full-time mom. After having her son, she turned to a life of drug abuse. It took many years of struggling with addiction before Amy realized that her choices were truly affecting herself and her family – she finally had enough.
“I wanted a better career for my children, and I [had] to show them, if I could do it, they can [too],” Amy said. She set off on the path to finish what she started – earning her diploma. Amy faced the challenges of being a single parent and working full-time while attending LearningQuest, but she never gave up. At the 2019 Spring Graduation & Awards Night, Amy was celebrated for earning her diploma and winning the award for “Best Effort” in her class. Amy finally felt that she will be the mom she was always meant to be.
The pandemic has changed how society operates and Amy stands strong. With her children at home doing school work online, Amy uses the skills and confidence she gained from LearningQuest to help them stay on track, “What I was taught in the classroom, I can [now] bring it home and help my kids with their homework.” Amy expresses how her children are teaching her new and exciting things every day. She has found a strength in teaching and learning from others in order to help her children succeed during this pandemic. Amy encourages other parents to find their strength, “Don’t give up. Limits are for credit cards, not people. Reach for the stars.”
By Yvonne Downs
