10/13/2026
WHERE ARE THEY NOW? | Emily’s Story
There was a time when I thought earning my GED was completely out of reach. Today, I work at the very organization that helped me earn it, and I get to see firsthand how South Baldwin Literacy Council changes lives every single day.
I became a teen mom at 17. School just wasn't something I cared much about back then. It wasn't because I wasn't smart. I just didn't want to be there. I dropped out at 17, got married at 18, and spent the next several years as a stay-at-home mom to three children.
Deep down, I always knew I wanted more for myself. I wanted to go to college and see what else I was capable of doing with my life. But the longer I stayed out of school, the more intimidating the thought of going back became.
I tried once at a local community college. They sat me down with a GED book and told me to study. I remember feeling completely lost. I didn't even know where to start, and I gave up pretty quickly.
Eventually, I moved to Baldwin County, but not having my GED continued to weigh on me. I knew I was capable of more, yet I felt stuck. I hated feeling like something I had done years earlier was keeping me from moving forward with my life.
One night, I sat up searching online for places where I could earn my GED. South Baldwin Literacy Council was the first place that came up. The very next day, I called and made an appointment.
I was terrified walking through those doors. I thought people might judge me. I worried I would start and never finish, just like before. I had so much doubt about myself before I even gave it another chance.
Instead, I walked into a place that changed my life.
With the support and encouragement of the staff at South Baldwin Literacy Council, I earned my GED in just 29 days.
For someone who had spent years believing she couldn't do it, that was a huge accomplishment. I went from feeling lost and giving up to having people in my corner who believed in me and helped me move forward.
I remember asking how many students were currently working toward their GED. Honestly, I thought I might be the only one. When I was told there were over 100 students, I couldn't believe it. I wasn't alone. There were so many other people working toward the same goal, each with their own story.
The support I received from the staff and other students was incredible. The community gave me a chance to believe in myself again.
But that wasn't the end of my story.
Shortly after earning my GED, I was hired at South Baldwin Literacy Council. I enrolled in college and started working toward goals I once thought were out of reach. I was no longer just the student walking through the doors, hoping someone could help me. I became part of the team helping others do the same.
So, where am I now?
I'm still learning, still growing, and working every day to help others realize they can do more than they ever thought possible.
One of the most meaningful parts of my job is getting to see SBLC from both sides: as a former student and as an employee. I know what it feels like to be the person who is scared to try, who feels behind, and who wonders if they are capable of reaching their goals. I've been that person.
Now, I get to encourage students, support our tutors, and watch children and adults accomplish things they may have once thought were impossible. I get to see a child gain confidence in reading or math. I get to see an adult earn their GED and take the next step toward college, trade school, or a new career. I get to see students learning English so they can communicate more confidently, find new opportunities, and build a better future for themselves and their families.
That's what South Baldwin Literacy Council is all about. It's about helping people move forward.
Education is about so much more than a test score, a report card, or a diploma. It's about opening doors that once felt closed. It's about giving children the foundation they need to succeed, helping adults overcome barriers that have held them back, and giving people the tools and confidence to create new opportunities for themselves.
When people have access to education and support, they have more opportunities to pursue their goals, find better employment, continue their education, and build greater stability for their families. Sometimes, the right support at the right time can make a difference in the direction someone's life takes.
I know because I lived it.
I often think about what might have happened if I had never found SBLC. What if I had continued believing that my GED was out of reach? What if I had never taken that first step? I might never have discovered what I was capable of doing.
Instead, someone helped me see that my story wasn't over just because I had taken a different path.
And now, I get to be part of that same encouragement for someone else.
There are children who need extra help before they fall further behind. There are adults who have spent years believing they are too far behind to go back to school. There are parents who want to build a better future for their children but need someone to help them take that first step. Every person has a different story, but everyone deserves the opportunity to learn, grow, and move forward.
This is why South Baldwin Literacy Council is so personal to me. This isn't just a job. This place gave me the confidence to believe in myself again, and now I get to help others find that same confidence.
But we can't do this alone.
Every donation helps support educational opportunities for children and adults right here in our community. It helps provide tutoring, GED preparation, English language instruction, curriculum for kindergarten-6th grade, and the encouragement students need to keep going when things get hard.
When you give to South Baldwin Literacy Council, you're doing more than supporting a program. You're helping a child discover the joy of reading. You're helping an adult earn a credential they once thought was impossible. You're helping someone take the next step toward college, a trade, a career, or a more stable future. You're helping Baldwin County!
You're helping open doors.
South Baldwin Literacy Council gave me that chance. Your support can help give someone else theirs.
If you believe everyone deserves the opportunity to learn, grow, and build a better future, please consider making a donation today.
Help us open doors. Help someone take their next step. Help change a life.
Donate today: https://southbaldwinliteracycouncil.harnessgiving.org/donate/?checkout=2643&campaign_id=21891&selected-method=one-time&amount=50
