Delaney was the oldest of five siblings at home. Her single mom sometimes struggled to keep the electricity on and was often simply absent. Both mom and brother had spent time in jail. At 16, the challenges and workload that most high school students face took a backseat to taking care of the other kids and keeping their home in order.

Delaney knew she wanted more stability for herself and that education was the key. While she left high school in the 10th grade, she was determined to pursue her education through an alternative route. She heard about Reconnecting Youth from a cousin and came to an info session on her own to learn more. She liked what she heard about individual instruction and the help they provide navigating high school completion and college application. She signed up that night to start classes.

With support from her case manager, she completed her GED in two months and was connected to a paid internship where she could apply what she had learned in class. She loved working in an office and is looking forward to starting college in the fall.

“The individual support is what makes kids stick with the program,” says Delaney. “They have a group of people here to help you  and they’re all on your team. “

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