Catholic Charities Adult Learner Graduates and Completes Licensed Practical Nurse Program
By Chad Porter, Center for Community Learning and Advancement Outreach Coordinator/AmeriCorps VISTA
Debra Bunch, a former student at Catholic Charities West Virginia Center for Community Learning and Advancement (CCLA) in Huntington, visited the CCLA to report that she had just received her Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) certification. Debra wanted to express gratitude for the program that set her on this career path.
Debra’s story isn’t that different from most adult learners. Debra quit high school during her sophomore year. Feelings of not being smart enough or good enough to obtain higher education plagued her mind.
Debra explained that she had been in and out of General Education Development (GED) programs since then, but made one final push to prepare for the final phase in receiving her High School Equivalency Diploma. Motivated by her husband’s completion of a college degree, Debra worked hard to overcome the fear and dread of taking the math section of the Test Assessing Secondary Completion (TASC) test. She chose the CCLA as her resource for learning the math skills necessary for passing the test.
After successful completion of the TASC, Debra became employed with St. Mary’s Medical Center (SMMC). While working on the cardiovascular floor at SMMC, Debra enrolled in the LPN program at the Cabell Career Technology Center. She plans to apply for admission into St. Mary’s RN program in the near future. Debra encourages others with self-doubt to push forward and never settle for “less.”
