Rosa was 18 years old when she moved from the Dominican Republic to New York to have her daughter. She spent nearly five years there before moving to Massachusetts. Throughout that time, she made several attempts to return to school, but as a single mother working to support herself and her child, she faced ongoing challenges. Without a support system of family or friends, she often felt she had to navigate everything on her own. Her path shifted when she found an adult learning program to pursue her GED. With the support and encouragement she received at the adult learning program, she finally felt empowered to return to school. With help from a First Literacy scholarship, Rosa is now studying to become a Nurse Assistant at North Shore Community College (NSCC) and plans to begin the Medical Coding program in the fall semester of 2025.