Success Stories

Above and Beyond

Announcing Our Graduates!

Congratulations from Milwaukee Achiever!

Julius, Silver Spring Center GED Graduate

Julius had been out of school for almost 10 years before he decided to enroll at Milwaukee Achiever. He earned his GED in 6 months! He credits his fast-paced achievement to his commitment to studying and good attendance. He was initially referred to another adult literacy organization but by chance stopped by our Silver Spring Center and enjoyed the friendly atmosphere. Having a busy schedule, he appreciated the flexibility of our course schedule. He is currently in the process of applying to Cardinal Stritch University for an Associate of Science Degree, with a concentration in Business. He has worked many factory jobs and is excited to pursue a career “on the other side” from a management perspective. His advice to those pursuing their goal of obtaining their GED: “stick with it and make sure you study at home too.”

Ann, Silver Spring Center GED Graduate

Ann had been out of school for 36 years before she decided to enroll at Milwaukee Achiever. She earned her GED in 6 months! She had worked as a CNA for 14 years, and it started to take a toll on her her emotional and physical well-being. She knew that it was "now or never." She had passed Milwaukee Achiever so many times and one day decided to walk in and register. She felt welcomed by staff and other learners and appreciated that no one ever made her feel “stupid.” Her biggest obstacle was math. One of our volunteer tutors, George, worked with Ann and after a few months she felt more confident in her math skills. Now that she has earned her GED she plans to get a job in home inspection. Her son is working on his real estate license and they plan on working together. Her advice to individuals working towards earning their GED: “It will open more doors when you are job hunting. You need a diploma.”

Meet Some of Our Other Achievers!

Success stories from English Language Learning, Workforce Development, Citizenship & More

Rosa, Scott Center Citizenship Program Graduate

My final citizenship test was on January 3, 2011. I'd taken English language and citizenship lessons at Milwaukee Achiever for two years by then. I memorized 100 questions about United States history, government and important people. It took me a long time to prepare the application. I needed to find out the answers to the questions and to memorize the answers. When I found all the information and completed the form, I mailed the form. After a few weeks, I received a letter saying that they received the application and I'd receive another letter with the date, place and time to be finger-printed. Being finger-printed is the next step for citizenship. It took me 3 or 4 months to complete the entire process. On the day of the exam, they asked me a number of questions and I wrote sentences answering them. Finally, the immigration official told me that I passed. And I have a certificate to prove it!

Anna, Silver Spring Center GED Graduate

Moving to the United States from Poland was the hardest decision of my life. This decision was very hard for me because I knew that I would be very far away from my family and friends. The first few months were very difficult for me. I missed my loved ones and felt so lonely. I was twenty-one years old when I decided to move to the US. I think I was very young then to make such a big decision, but I was full of curiosity for a new country, new culture and life in a new place. Now I know that I made the right decision. If I had chosen differently, I probably would never have appreciated the value of family. Also, I would never have met people who have changed my perspectives about life. I have been able to pursue my dream of becoming a Certified Nursing Assistant and I plan to continue on to become an RNA.

Blanca, Silver Spring Center English Language Learner

My family was born in Colombia. My husband came to the United States five years ago. He had been working as a lawyer for the government when a difficult political situation caused him to leave our country. He studied English very hard, and also turned in papers for political asylum. When his request was granted, our daughter and I joined him here. Our time in the United States has been a life-changing experience for all of us. The different cultures, jobs and life-styles have had a big influence on all of us. One of the tougher challenges for us has been learning the language. My husband now works as a minority counselor in a local nonprofit. In my country, I worked in human resources; now I work for a graphics company. Both of us have studied English at Milwaukee Achiever Literacy Services.