HPOG Success Story: Sheyanna at Turtle Mountain Community College

Publication Date: April 1, 2020
Current as of:

Sheyanna smiles in her uniformBelcourt, ND

Second Chances Can Be Life Changing

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.

Sheyanna was accepted into the licensed practical nurse (LPN) program at Dakota College in Bottineau in the fall of 2017. Unfortunately, things didn't work out as planned, and Sheyanna was unable to complete the program. This didn't deter her from achieving her goal of becoming a nurse. She waited a year and tried again.
 

To secure her spot, she wrote letters to the school and retook the entrance exam. In the fall of 2018, Dakota College decided to give Sheyanna one more chance, and she was accepted back into the LPN program. She received the Leadership in Nursing award and got excellent grades. In 2019, Sheyanna welcomed a son named Rowan and completed her LPN degree. Sheyanna can't wait to see what her future holds.
 

"If I never got the call from HEART to be in the program, I don't know where I'd be or what I'd be doing."

This success story was self-identified by the grantee and information contained in this document was provided by the grantee.