Fort Totten, ND
The key to success lives in every one of us.
Amber, a single mother from North Dakota, is a perfect example of overcoming one’s circumstances. As early as high school, Amber had a passion for helping others and learning as much as she could. At sixteen, she got pregnant with her first child and had to drop out of school. She did odd jobs to make ends meet, but found it difficult to find full time work without a diploma.
Amber knew that she needed to take steps to build a life for her family. She was living in a shelter with her three children, two of whom have special needs, and had recently left an abusive relationship. She moved to North Dakota, and put herself through Emergency Medical Training (EMT) school at night. Amber got a job at the local hospital as an EMT, but she had to work overtime shifts just to cover their bills. The job gave her the confidence to pursue her next goal of becoming a paramedic, but she still had doubts.
At this time, Amber discovered the HPOG funded Next Steps II program . She applied, got accepted, and started her journey to becoming a paramedic. With Next Steps II assistance and guidance, nothing could stop Amber not even health setbacks.
The team was there for her when she was diagnosed with cancer, providing support that allowed her to continue with classes through treatment. She is currently cancer free and maintained a 3.9 GPA throughout her training. She finished clinicals and passed both the Paramedic and State Registry certification exams in August 2018. Amber is now employed with Gold Cross Ambulance Service run by the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.
Amber is excited to live out her dream while showing her children that anything can be obtained through hard work, no matter your place in life.
This success story was self-identified by the grantee and information contained in this document was provided by the grantee.
Files
- PDF HPOG Amber at Cankdeska Cikana Community College (119.62 KB)