Searching for an escape from her life in Detroit, Michigan, Tia Howard made a swift decision to seek warmer weather and a fresh start. Trading cold weather for traffic jams, she packed her belongings and made her way to Houston.

Tia’s educational journey has been marked by challenges. After spending the formative years of her education in private school, transitioning into public school in secondary proved overwhelming. Coupled with her pursuit of alternative income through cosmetology, Tia left school before obtaining her high school diploma.

Now, in her mid-thirties, she’s determined to complete her G.E.D. through the program offered by West Houston Assistance Ministries (WHAM). The G.E.D. program is funded, in part, by a grant through the Foundation’s Success through Adult Reading (STAR).

We asked Tia what her motivation was to get her G.E.D.

“The work experiences that I’ve had and the research that I’ve done one being a facility owner, I want to have all the proper documentation for myself,” said Tia.

This opportunity sparked Tia’s motivation and readiness to pursue not only a G.E.D., but also a college degree. She finds unwavering support by her aunt and Godmother, who encourage her daily to persist in her education journey. Their pride in her achievements serves as a powerful motivator for Tia, who has kept her lack of a degree hidden for most of her life. Tia hopes to further her education and attend community college upon attaining her degree.

“A piece of paper doesn’t determine your skills, but it does prove that you took the time to have the discipline to learn and complete this task.”

Tia has attributed a lot of her success to her teacher at WHAM, Jess, who invests her time in motivating the student to completion. Jess’s positive attitude and patience with the class stands out as an influencing factor for Tia and her classmates.

Tia and students like her serve as a powerful testament to resilience and determination in the pursuit of education despite obstacles. We hope her willingness to share her story and aspirations will inspire others to persevere in their own literacy endeavors. We extend our gratitude and admiration to Tia for taking the time to speak with our team and wish her success on her journey.

To learn more about our adult literacy rates in Houston and their implications, we invite you to visit https://www.houstonadultliteracy.org/ and download Houston’s Adult Literacy Blueprint.