In my family, none of the women have graduated high school. My mother got her GED, as well as both of her sisters. Stacie Matteo is my mothers’ sister and got her GED from Northwest High School.

“High school was difficult for me because I was extremely shy, and not very knowledgeable in the things of the world,” Stacie Matteo said. “The kids caught onto that pretty fast; they weren’t really the nicest.”

During her freshman year of high school, she had undergone her first knee surgery. “Having the knee surgery made it really difficult, so I never really made it back to school after that.” Stacie said. After that she would continue to have another knee surgery, and still never made it back to high school. She had the dedication to work an honest job, and never really saw the point in going back to high school.

“I went and got my GED at a library by my house, and they gave study classes that I went to before completing my GED and I got a job at Walmart right away.” Stacie said.

My experience differs so much from hers, along with the rest of the women in my family. I am about to graduate high school after going all four years and graduating with honors as well. I was able to have so many different experiences during my high school years that has made it easier for me and more enjoyable day to day. I have an academy that I am very dedicated to, while being an editor for the news department. I was able to join my high school orchestra, which gave me a sense of community that my aunt never had during her experience in high school.

I am so proud of the women in my family, as they are some of the strongest women I have met in my life. They set such a strong example, even though they only have a GED. It proves to me that education, although important, is not everything. They set the example for me to work hard for what I want to achieve and know that I am strong as a woman no matter what.

“I am happy with the decision that I made back then. I got to kind of avoid things that a lot of those kids have to go through,” Stacie said. “If I could go back and be the person that I am now, and go through high school, I think I would be a lot stronger emotionally than I was back then.”