Erika completed the Bridge Program that semester and took the TASC; however, her story is a good reminder that even the most committed students don’t always pass the first time around.
Erika credits Bridge instructor, Tina Lee, with getting her to come back to the classroom to work more on science, the only subject she failed: “Tina was my first [Bridge] teacher and even after finishing the program she always kept in contact; Tina had a whole new class, yet she still cared to reach out and check on me.” When Erika returned for a second time the following spring, it seemed that life was bent on making things harder. “One of my biggest challenges that I needed to overcome was being laid off due to committing to school,” says Erika. “Unfortunately, my previous jobs did not support me and weren’t willing to accommodate my school schedule.”
Determined to reach her goal, Erika continued with the program, citing her future and her parents as her biggest motivators. When talking about her second Bridge instructor, Billy Wharton, Erika still recalls the in-class activities and group work that gave her the lift she needed:
“Billy treated us with the utmost respect and showed us how college would be. The Bridge Program gave me the confidence to understand that it would all be worth it.” It turns out that Erika and her Bridge team were right—not only did Erika pass her second time around, but she was also able to find a veterinary assistant position at an animal hospital that understood her passion for returning to school. With the help of her College & Career Pathways Advisor, Lucila Sanchez, Erika applied for college and financial aid and took her education a step further.
Erika just started her first year at LaGuardia Community College this fall and is majoring in
Criminal Justice. “Growing up I had a passion for law and I chose criminal justice because I want to help and defend people.” She’s also enrolled in the
ASAP (Accelerated Study in Associate Programs) program at LaGuardia, which provides an extra layer of support on top of the ones that the Bridge Program offers. After LaGuardia, Erika has high hopes—she plans on attending John Jay College to earn her Bachelor's degree, and after that she’ll take her exams to enter law school. She’s still deciding what type of attorney she’d like to be, but she’s confident that she’ll feel figure it out.
Attending college is a huge milestone for any Bridge student, but Erika says receiving her high school equivalency diploma was her biggest achievement.
“It feels great to walk the halls and know that I did an amazing job overcoming the obstacles that were thrown at me.” She likes to remind students that
“the more effort you put into yourself, the more doors you’ll open.”
When asked about what advice she’d give to current or potential Bridge students, Erika uses a quote from Theodore Roosevelt—“Believe you can and you’re halfway there.” Erika’s beliefs got her full-time employment and full-time enrollment at LaGuardia; she challenges students to think about where their beliefs will take them. As a last reminder, Erika tells us
“it’s never too late and it’s never impossible.” At the rate Erika is going, she’s right; all we see for her are possibilities.
