Family Scholar House gives support, hope

“Family Scholar House has a real effect on real people,” said Tera New, ECTC nursing student.

Tera is a single mother who knows firsthand how difficult it can be to manage life and college. As the sole caregiver for her three boys – Amden, 6; Haydren, 5; and Teagen, 3, all the worry and stress that goes with being a parent falls on her shoulders. Add in coursework and clinicals, and life can become overwhelming.

“There have been some nights where I’ve stayed up until 4 in the morning doing classwork then had to get up at 6:30 to meet the school bus,” she said.

Tera entered the foster care system when she was 12 years old, moving so many times she lost count. Without a strong support system, there have been times when she felt like quitting. She first met Family Scholar House (FSH) Regional Coordinator Lynnette Kennedy when she was having a particularly rough day.

“I was crying and overwhelmed and wondering how I’d finish my degree,” Tera said. “But Lynnette found me and took me to her office. She gave me a slice of pizza and a snack pack that had a quote in it: ‘You haven’t come this far to give up now.’ It felt like it was just for me.”

Since then, Tera visits FSH staff regularly, receiving gas cards to assist her in driving to and from campus and connection to benefits that allows her to support her boys.

“I’m happy to share my story because Family Scholar House has helped me get to where I am today,” she said. “I feel like there were some obstacles that would have been impossible for me to overcome without their support.”

Together with FSH, ECTC is raising funds to provide on-campus housing for student parents like Tera. Stable housing and transportation can be all that is standing in the way of a student completing their studies, and the Home for Hope campaign seeks to remove those barriers to education. Please consider supporting the effort by donating to the campaign. A gift of any amount will make a difference in the lives of ECTC students.