Yorky shares his journey to earning a High School Equivalency Diploma
“At the end of the day, we’re all adults and we make our choices. Certain circumstances in life led me to self-doubt. I still pushed myself to try again.”
The traditional path for obtaining a college degree begins with graduating from high school and moving on to a four-year college or university. This path is not accessible to everyone. In 2018, Yorky enrolled in NMIC’s High School Equivalency (HSE) course. These courses help students performing at 4th -12th grade levels study and prepare for the Test Assessing Secondary Completion (TASC) formerly known as the G.E.D.
“It really has to be something you want to do just like anything else in life. Put your mind to it and do it. I believe it will serve as a catalyst for bettering yourself. The most important thing is believing in yourself and never giving up.”
Yorky expresses the difficulty in returning to his education “trying to obtain my G.E.D I faced a few challenges along the way, but I never gave up” aside from being intrinsically motivated, having a strong support system makes a big difference for students completing their education. Jennifer Arguetta who is NMIC’S Adult Education Program Manager played a helpful role in Yorky’s journey, “I’ve done it a few times trying to get my GED and I have failed, not in the sense of failing tests or anything like that, I’ve failed to follow through on going to take the actual test and Jennifer spoke to me about it she was trying to figure out what was going on to formulate a solution and I thank her for that, along with Bocko. Mark and Rojas for their part too, great teachers.” Jennifer and educators like Bocko, Mark, and Rojas all play a critical role in the success of their students by creating a welcoming and supportive environment.
“I have my GED which opened up and created opportunities for bettering myself”
Maria Lizardo, Yorky Mata, Assemblyman Al Taylor
In the winter of 2018, Yorky successfully passed his exam and obtained his High School Equivalency Diploma giving him the platform he needed to continue to pursue his goals for a bright future. “I want to do something in the medical field whether it be an RN or a Paramedic. I can do those things now because I have my GED which opened up and created opportunities for bettering myself. Even if I decide to do something else, I wouldn’t regret getting my GED because it can do two things for you – one keeps you moving forward and two create opportunities for you and your future. Both of which I have experienced.”
Having multiple pathways for completing an education takes into account the varying circumstances in people’s lives. There is no longer just the standard path to education – options create the possibility for anyone to pursue their goals regardless of past circumstances.
To learn more about our High School Equivalency course, visit our office on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays between 11 am and 12:30 pm or call 212-822-8343.