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Inspiration comes in many forms. For Kelli, it came from her three young children.

A single mother, living on a reservation, Kelli worked hard to keep up with her own children during the fast-paced digital age, but she had very little opportunity for education or job training.

This put strain on her ability to be a stable role model and provider for her family. She longed for a fulfilling career that provided job security and the opportunity to have dinner with her children without rushing off to the next job.

The Yankton Sioux Tribe’s Master Health Director introduced Kelli to the HPOG Pathways to Healthcare Professions (PHP)  program. After reaching out by phone and discussing her situation and long-term goals, she decided to apply for Certified Professional Coder (CPC) courses.

Samantha was raised in Columbus, NE, as the youngest of five sisters in a single parent household. Her childhood was marked by struggles with anxiety, depression, and a learning disability that impacted her ability to read, spell, and write.

She let none of this hold her back and graduated from Columbus High School in 2010. Even then she knew that she wanted to be employed in the medical field.

Armed with a goal, Samantha enrolled at Central Community College (CCC). Her roommate was a student in the nursing program. The more they talked, the more Samantha knew that nursing was the path for her. What she didn’t know was the climb she had in front of her. She took the classes needed to enter the nursing program, applied, and was placed on a two-year waitlist to start. In the meantime, she decided to obtain an Associate in Applied Science Degree and transfer to Midland University in the Fall of 2012, but struggled with her classes and did not pass her first semester.

Cheryl knew from a very young age that she wanted a job in healthcare. Cheryl’s mother was a registered nurse and an Associate Professor of Nursing at the University Of Texas School Of Nursing at the Texas Medical Center.

In high school, she decided she wanted to be a nurse like her mother, and applied to the High School for Health Professions in Houston, Texas. Soon after her acceptance, Cheryl was dealt a devastating blow. Her mother passed away from cancer that May.

Before she knew it, three decades had gone by, and Cheryl had given birth to 4 children and gotten married. Cheryl had long impressed upon her children the importance of a college education. She told them as soon as they left home for college she would go back to school.

Cheryl was working at a clinical laboratory facility, making around $19.00 an hour. But then, she developed health problems that prevented her from working. After regaining her health, she wanted to enjoy her freedom, pushing off her education once again. Her son was pursuing his second Master’s Degree when he asked, “Mom, what are you waiting for?” With an empty house, she started her journey to become a nurse at the age of 49.

In 2016, Ray-Lynn was working as a medical aide at a nursing home and was enrolled in nursing school. She struggled financially, finding it hard to pay for childcare. She knew her chosen field of healthcare held opportunity, but she didn’t know how she could afford both. She found out about the Kansas Health Profession Opportunity Program (KHPOP) through her nursing school peers and decided to apply.

Sheyanna is an enrolled member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians. She spent her childhood moving around North Dakota to live with various family members. Unfortunately, she was abused by the people who were supposed to be caring for her. When she was 15, Sheyanna suffered the loss of a child. Struggling, she moved to Belcourt, ND to live with her absentee mother.
 

While living with her mother, Sheyanna cared for her younger siblings. Sheyanna focused on school, realizing that it could take her somewhere. She was homeless in high school and needed assistance from low-income programs for food and other necessities. Sheyanna worked hard to keep her grades up, but with all the distractions of life, she almost did not graduate.
 

After high school graduation, Sheyanna enrolled at Turtle Mountain Community College, and applied for Health Education Access through Rural Training (HEART) Project , funded by HPOG. HEART provided support when she needed it the most. She was able to keep up with her studies anywhere using the Surface Pro HEART gave her to do her homework. Often it was in her car. Despite her hardship, Sheyanna found time to take part in Student Senate at Turtle Mountain and volunteer. She did all this while working as a CNA to support herself.

Kimberly was three credits away from graduating from high school when she found out she was pregnant. Feeling out of place, she made the tough decision to drop out. The next several years brought four more children. Eventually, Kimberly’s family of seven found themselves living with her mother-in-law.

Her mother told her that Kimberly’s younger sister was going to finish school. This spurred Kimberly to start a General Education Diploma (GED) program. Kimberly was working to earn her GED when she heard about the Pathways to Healthcare Professions (PHP) program from a Great Plains Tribal Chairmen’s Health Board employee. As she progressed through the GED program, her self-confidence soared when she passed the math test. Kimberly’s newfound belief in herself and the PHP staff inspired her to enroll in the two-week certified nursing assistant (CNA) class hosted at the Great Plains Tribal Chairmen’s Health Board in Rapid City, SD.

Clarys was born and raised in the Dominican Republic. She immigrated to the United States in 1994, and in 2004, Clarys became a US citizen.

Clarys’ three children were her inspiration for her goals. She wanted a career that would allow her to be a role model and support them. She was passionate about helping others and wanted a meaningful and challenging avenue for emotional growth. These factors led her to pursue home health aide training.

In 2016, Clarys learned about the Montefiore Medical Center Health Profession Opportunity Grant Project . At the time, she was pursuing a home health aide training course at Allen Health Care. Clarys enthusiastically started the application process and was overjoyed when she was accepted into the HPOG program.

At the age of 35, Jenica was a working student supporting five children. She temped as a medical surgical technician, making $9.35 an hour while studying to fulfill her dream of becoming a licensed practical nurse (LPN). Her family received SNAP benefits, but Jenica knew she needed more support to achieve her goal of becoming self-sufficient.

While searching for assistance, Jenica learned of Project HOPE: Healthcare Occupations Preparation for Employment . While attending a Project HOPE information session, she learned they could provide her with the assistance she was seeking. She enrolled in Project HOPE on June 26, 2017. Jenica was so excited that she cried tears of joy.

Janie grew up in a low-income neighborhood in Houston, Texas. The trailer park she lived in was constantly filled with yelling, anger, and alcohol-fueled bouts of rage from her parents. Her parents never had steady employment, nor did they provide Janie with the basic necessities she needed as a child.

Janie learned about Volunteers of America Texas Health Professions Opportunity Grants (HPOG) at a recruitment event at a local community college. She listened carefully to the presentation about HPOG but was apprehensive about applying. She figured she had nothing to lose and applied in the fall of 2016.

Denisa is a single mother without a support network, vehicle, or home. She applied to the Alamo Colleges District Health Profession Opportunity Grants (ACD-HPOG) program in September 2019. Denisa completed her Medical Assistant (MA) training and passed the Certified Clinical Medical Assistant exam in April 2021.