Participants

These are just a few of the people whose lives have been transformed through literacy.

LaSeana

LaSeana, a single mother who achieved GED certification through Next Step, is now employed by the Oakland Unified School District and is in her second semester at Laney College.  Her long-term plan is to become a prenatal nurse because she loves babies and wants to make a positive difference in people's lives every day.

Mario

Mario has already passed four of the five GED exams and is fulltime enrolled in his second semester at Laney College.  He credits the influence of positive people in helping him avoid gang involvement and "getting stuck in the streets."  Mario wants to become a veterinarian because, as he says, "Domesticated animals have been useful to us as workers, protectors, and pets.  They rely on us when they are injured and we have a responsibility to care for them."

Daryl

Daryl is 18 years old and has recently achieved his GED.  He works full-time at night for the Port of Oakland and is studying half-time this semester at Laney College.  He says this about his experience at Next Step:  "I was not expecting all this success in so little time.  I feel this program is better than regular school because they have tutors that help you one-on-one and that's the type of help a lot of people need.  I like this program also because...they seem like they really care and want to help you." 

Tony

Tony is an 18-year-old emancipating youth, balancing the demands of GED studies, part-time work, and the requirements of the foster care system.  He plans to take his GED exams soon.  Meanwhile, with the assistance of Next Step's College Transition Coordinator, he enrolled at Laney College in Fall 2007 as a part-time student and achieved a 3.57 GPA.  Now in his second semester of college, Tony says, "I grew up seeing more people drop out of school than finish.  What I saw only made me more set on becoming well educated.  I decided I would not take the easy way out."