Passing It On!
By Mellisa Olvera Garza
Reading has never been easy for me. In many instances, I would have my sister read the material for a class, to help me understand it. Studying hard, I obtained my Core 40 credits at Clay High School, but I was unable to pass my GQE (graduation qualifying exam). I even went an extra semester, so that I could attempt the exam one last time! It was discouraging.
My story has been a rollercoaster over the years. I’m a proud mother of three beautiful children. My name is Mellisa Olvera-Garza. I recently moved back home to Indiana after living in South Carolina for 12 years. The year before I moved home, my mother graduated with her HSE, through the South Bend Adult Ed program at the University of Notre Dame. Unfortunately, they weren’t able to have a ceremony due to COVID in 2020. However, I was able to be at her ceremony last June! It made me so proud to see her walk across that stage!
All of her children were there! Each presented her with a bouquet of flowers! She could hardly hold them all!
When I started working for Notre Dame, the opportunity to obtain my HSE was presented to me as well. I immediately thought of my kids. I want to push for success simply because one of my kids struggles in school just as I did. I want to be a role model for them, so they can see that anything is possible if you put in the work.
I started my classes at Notre Dame with the same awesome teacher that my mom had. In December, when I tested, she kept checking on me to be sure I was studying. I have already passed my math, social studies and language parts of the test!
Seeing my mother walk down that stage last year made me realize that if she can do it and succeed and make me feel proud of what she's accomplished, then I can do the same and inspire the same feeling in my kids.
