GED Student Success Stories
GED Newsletters
Student Spotlight
Etelvina Lopez, Arroyo Grande Campus
My name is Etelvina López and I am 42 years old. I started GED classes in fall of
2019. I emigrated to this country when I was 25 years old and worked hard to give
my son a better life. When my son turned 25, I knew I had to go back to school but
the very idea made me nervous. However, I decided to register and after 30 years of
not going to school I started again. Luckily I met a teacher who made me feel welcome
and who is always encouraging us to continue to work hard. Today, I can proudly say
I have passed two of the for official exams and I hope to pass the next one very soon
in order to achieve my dream of being a professional. To all those who believe that
because we are adults we cannot achieve our objectives, I can say that it is possible
with a lot of effort and determination. The key to pass each of the exams is the preparation
and to study, study and study. We can do this!
Justin George, San Luis Obispo Campus
My GED experience was very rewarding. I refreshed a lot of skills I had forgotten about. I made my family and myself proud of my accomplishments. I also obtained a better career with benefits and retirement. To me, obtaining my GED was super important. It gave me the qualifications to achieve a higher paying career and confidence to better myself. My future education goals would be to continue with Cuesta, possibly get an AA degree or at the very least some certifications. I appreciate Cuesta college and all the staff that helped me achieve some dreams.
Christopher Prout, North County Campus
As a high school dropout, I have always limited myself to a lower potential while
encouraging my children to succeed and do better than me in school. I have worked
hard my whole life and had to abuse my body to prosper and survive. I never considered
going back to school until I found out about Cuesta’s GED program and the Cuesta Promise.
In addition, my daughter was graduating High School and able to embark on an amazing
opportunity with the help of the Cuesta Promise. As a parent I am humbled by this
as it gives her an opportunity that I could not have otherwise provided. So, I did
the next best thing and am attending college with her! I joined the GED program April
of 2022, I watched my daughter graduate in June, then I passed my final GED test in
July. Now we are enrolled at the North County campus as full-time students. We share
a psychology class and help push each other with some fun competition. My biggest
motivator has been that I have been lucky enough to get a second chance, more so because
I get to share it with my daughter. This is a wonderful time as a parent for me as
we are equals in a unique environment. In a lot of ways, she gets to teach me.
