With New Legacy’s 2022 graduation complete, it’s a good time to see how some of our alumni are doing! Bianca graduated in 2016 with her then two-year-old daughter, Sherlyn, who attended the ELC. Today, she’s the mother of Sherlyn, eight years old, and Paulette, two years old. Bianca recently shared her experience at New Legacy along with what she is currently doing. New Legacy is so proud of her! Below is her story in her own words. I found out about New Legacy from my counselor at my high school. I reached out to my counselor for help due to seeing I was not going to be able to graduate on time. Finding out about that did get me to the point of almost dropping out or going towards my GED instead. As a teen mom I was going through the struggles of being a single mom, providing for my child and attempting to finish school all at once. My counselor recommended New Legacy; I did my research and was able to meet with the executive director Jennifer Douglas. I genuinely loved the idea and mission of the school of not only providing myself with education but for my daughter. Giving her opportunities of education, social skills, motor skills, a daily routine, and quality time with her mom.   New Legacy helped me so much going from C’s and D’s in my junior year to A’s and B’s in my senior year, allowing me to graduate on time. New Legacy provided me with attention and time in my education, believing I could do it. New Legacy not only helped me graduate on time but also helped me plan my future by helping me enroll in college and fill out the FAFSA. For my top choice I applied to Pickens Technical College and was accepted!  “Never doubt what you’re capable of accomplishing.” Coming from my previous school where everyone looked at you differently and spoke about you as if you wouldn’t graduate on time because you had a baby was very discouraging. It made me doubt myself, my education, and my future. Finding New Legacy was like a new opportunity given to me. Since the first day New Legacy made me feel part of a community that was one. New Legacy gave me the confidence and reassurance of why I needed to believe in myself and most importantly to remind myself who is looking at me as a role model, and that was my daughter Sherlyn.   New Legacy gave me lots of opportunities and memories that I will always cherish. Especially the day graduates were given the opportunity to go to the governor’s mansion. I was awarded three amazing awards which reflect the student I was and was recognized for it. Being a top attendance honors student, the 2016 Student of the Year, and lastly the “I’m-good-at-everything, I-never-miss-school-even-when-I’m deathly-ill, I’m-more-mature-than-half-the-teachers, I’ll-tackle-you-in-trashball-court” Award. The last award brought me laughs and the fun moments I had at New Legacy. Nothing better than having a little battle against teachers and students with some trashball.   My words of advice to all the underclass students – always reach for the stars. Only you can decide how far you can go in life. Obstacles and people will come in between to prevent you from it but that is your challenge of life. Do not let it get in the way of allowing yourself to shine in your achievements.   After New Legacy I continued my education as a dental assistant at Pickens Technical College full time. After my year of college, I needed to do hours for externships in which I found Adventure Dental. On my fourth day of externship, I was offered a position as a dental assistant. I did dental assisting for about a year and half, which then I was offered to go back to school for a month to become an EDDA (Expanded Duties Dental Assistant). I did EDDA for about two and a half years. Given the opportunity to grow within the company I took the initiative into looking for leadership roles. A position for a Lead Dental Assistant was open; I applied but unfortunately the position was not given to me. Though that door was closed I was open to help my coworker who did initially get the position. With time a new position was opened for DTL (Dental Team Lead) which in this case I was promoted to the position and have been doing it for a year. The five years I have been at Adventure Dental I have truly grown a lot and will continue to grow into more leadership roles or going back to clinical to become a hygienist in order to continue to provide for my family.   Thank you New Legacy for believing in a young teen mom!