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Program helps single moms earn GED
Published Saturday, March 14, 2009
Photo by Caleb R. Johnson
Left, Tomessa Blevins and her daughter Leandrea Givan and right Laronica Irby and her son Gabriel. Blevins and Irby participate in the Evenstart Program, a program designed to help single mothers receive a GED.
Laronica Irby could not drive a car yet when she quit school. At a tender 15 years old, Irby walked away from the world of blackboards, teachers and books.
Soon, she got pregnant. A high school diploma seemed as distant as the clouds. Diapers, bottles and pacifiers consumed her every waking moment. For two years, she hardly gave her education another thought.
Last summer she heard about a program designed for women like her - women who wanted a second chance.
When Irby stepped inside Payne Elementary School, she found a world of possibility, both for her and her son, Gabriel.
She enrolled in the Even Start program in August 2008. Five months later, Irby earned her General Educational Development credential.
"I really didn't think I was going to make it," the 17-year-old said. "I really didn't think I'd come this far."
Even Start is a program aimed toward single mothers without high-school diplomas. Instructors prepare participants for the GED test. Since the program is a collaborative effort between Selma City Schools and Wallace Community College-Selma, advisors help enroll the women in college.
The program runs inside Payne Elementary on Tuesday through Friday. For a little more than six hours, women study for the GED and learn life and parenting skills. Meanwhile, their children play and learn in a nearby room. Even Start facilitator Drue Lee said it is the perfect situation.
"It's serving the parents and the children," Lee said. "In education, if we leave parent behind we leave the child behind."
Irby said childcare access was the one thing holding her down. She could not leave Gabriel at home while she attended GED classes.
"I didn't have any daycare, nobody to watch my child," she said. "I'm blessed to be in this program."
Even Start currently serves 12 women. Participants are accepted based on need. Along with providing educational tools, Lee said the program serves as a support group for these women who often feel isolated.
"It is needed," Lee said. "There's so much more personal involvement."
Irby said this involvement encouraged her to continue her education. She is enrolled at WCCS taking basic classes toward an associate's degree, something she never dreamed she would do.
Tomessa Blevins recounted her story with a look of pride and pain. Blevins quit Parker High School in Birmingham when she was only 16. She heard about Even Start through a community outreach project. Blevins, a mother of three, jumped at the chance to enroll. She studied for hours on end and worked a night shift at McDonald's.
"If I want my kids to do it, I got to do it," Blevins said. "I tell them you got to have a high school diploma if you want to be anything in life."
Her kids are listening. Marvin White, 8, is a straight A student at Edgewood Elementary, Blevins said with an oversized smile. Blevins' children, Marvin, 6-year-old Jermain Young and 2-year-old Leandrea Givan are her pride and joy. It meant the world to her that they could be with her each day.
"We made lunch together and everything," she said.
As Blevins spoke, Leandrea toddled around the room holding a purple crayon in her small hand. Blevins sat in a chair watching her daughter, who has spent one year coming to this room, studying and learning.
Blevins and Irby said they are more grateful to Lee, adult education instructor Harriett King and countless others involved.
Blevins, who is enrolled in WCCS's certified nursing assistant program, said Even Start transformed her.
"This program is basically trying to turn us into real women," she said.
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Comments
Posted by leo71 (anonymous) on March 15, 2009 at 9:26 a.m. (Suggest removal)
This is great,but where's the programs for father's? There are a lot of us that need second chances too.
Posted by favored (anonymous) on March 15, 2009 at 10:14 a.m. (Suggest removal)
There is a program for father's called Alabama Fatherhood Initiative at the Dallas County Courthouse
Posted by leo71 (anonymous) on March 15, 2009 at 10:27 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I've heard of the fatherhood initiative through their "It Takes a man to be a dad" commercials on radio and TV.Though a lot of us are mischaracterized and demonized by the court system-- I've had the misfortune of being one of them-- if more of us owned up to our responsibilities there wouldn't be a need for programs such as these in the first place.
Posted by leo71 (anonymous) on March 15, 2009 at 10:41 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Not only Father's--I might add-- but Mother's too.It takes two to tango,and one of those responsibilities should be NOT to have children at fifteen and make things harder on yourself and become a drain on the taxpayer to boot.
Posted by eyeonyou (anonymous) on March 15, 2009 at 5:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The court system needs to step up from being so antiquated. This isn't the 1950's. Traditional roles have changed within the family. Judges should give father's the ability to assume more responsibility with children in a divorce scenario. Father's are always looked at as being the "bad guy" in the court system. Why? Plus, the father's rights are most time over looked in this scenario too. It shouldn't be like this.
Posted by leo71 (anonymous) on March 15, 2009 at 6:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I agree wholeheartedly,eyeonyou.I was treated like a "bad guy" by Circuit Court Judge Tommy Jones.They do this because it's become lucrative for them."Them" being judges like Jones,lawyers,and DHR. The family law system in Alabama specifically and the nation generally is in urgent need of reform.
Posted by popdukes12 (anonymous) on March 15, 2009 at 7:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)
eyesonyou: Same here. popdukes12
Posted by bunnyk (anonymous) on March 15, 2009 at 10:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)
It is great to see something positive!! What a great program!
Posted by praisevsprayer (anonymous) on March 16, 2009 at 1:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Ms.Blevins I'am proud of you girl dad is shouting for joy in his grave I knew greater were in u proud of u big sis. And nursing will be great for you. I'am so Proud so is Dad Seal it with a Praise. You will be preaching next lol
Posted by sexytiny365 (anonymous) on March 16, 2009 at 3:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Well my name is Laronica Irby and I really thank God that has given me a chance to start over my life. I really didn't think that I would have been given the chance to make it in life. That's why there should be more programs like Even Start to help other men and women to accomplish their dreams. And getting my GED was a huge accomplishment that I took a chance at. As for as starting aprogram for men; I think that somemone should start a program like Even Start for the men, but in most scenarios the woman has to step up to the plate and take responsibility to for actions. And if you don't that leaves the child and the mother to suffer the consequences of having a child out of wedlock. People really need to get over teenage pregnancy because it is not going to stop. No matter how many different types of birth control or condoms that is going to be made it is not going to stop. We as parents need to get together and find out the solution to this outbreak. This situation has been going on for YEARS. And me personally as a single parent I wish that if I could save one person the stress of being a teenage parent I would be glad to help. This is a major issue in todays society. Everyone really needs to pull together and help with this crisis.
Posted by SEL77 (anonymous) on March 16, 2009 at 6:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)
LEO 71...lucrative to DHR???
Posted by leo71 (anonymous) on March 16, 2009 at 8:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Yes,SEL77.It has to do with the welfare "reforms" implemented back in the Clinton years.The more "deadbeat" dads DHR can get onto the child support rolls the more money they get from the feds.It's an arrangement that's invites abuse...and it has been abused.DHR could care less about whether or not a father interacts with his children,they only want his money,and the more they can get hooked into the system the more in federal kickbacks they get. I know it first hand because i'm experiencing it.
Posted by noneofurbus (anonymous) on March 17, 2009 at 10:12 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I understand that some fathers do interact with their kids, but interacting does not buy pampers, wipes, clothes, and etc. How do you figure it is okay just for the father to interact with their kids, and the mother supports them. If you make them, then you should either be man enough to step up to the plate, or maybe someone does need to sign that father up for child support.
Posted by mccrary36703 (anonymous) on March 17, 2009 at 7:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Amen "noneofurbus"
Posted by leo71 (anonymous) on March 17, 2009 at 7:50 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Like with everything else in life--noneofurbus-- there's balance.A child needs their father financially and physically DHR--unfortunately-- focuses their attention on the former.If they truly call themselves an agency that cares for children they'd focus on both and they're not doing that.I know many fathers--myself included-- that pay child support and don't see their children,usually because of vindictive ex-wives or girlfriends that use them as pawns to get back at their ex husbands or boyfriends and DHR and the courts ignore it...this has got to stop.
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