Hear life-changing success stories directly from our graduates.
This video is part of Stories of Hope from Begin Anew, a series of interviews with students, volunteers and leaders where they each share the ways Begin Anew has impacted their lives and the lives of others.
Soneil’s Story of Hope
Soneil, Madison Campus student, shares how earning his High School Equivalency (HSE) diploma will change his life and the next steps it allows him to take.
STUDENT STORIES
This video is part of Stories of Hope from Begin Anew, a series of interviews with students, volunteers and leaders where they each share the ways Begin Anew has impacted their lives and the lives of others.
Yesica’s Story of Hope
Yessica, Woodbine Campus graduate and current High School Equivalency (HSE) student, shares the importance of improving her English and earning her High School Equivalency diploma.
This video is part of Stories of Hope from Begin Anew, a series of interviews with students, volunteers and leaders where they each share the ways Begin Anew has impacted their lives and the lives of others.
Evelyn’s Story of Hope
Evelyn, Nashville Campus High School Equivalency (HSE) graduate, shares how earning her diploma changed her life! She is now enrolled in a nursing program at a local college.
25th Anniversary
REFLECTIONS
Marce and Destini, a husband and wife inspiring each other to move their family forward. Also read stories of other inspired students and more reflections on lives changed.
Marce and Destini earned their High School Equivalency (HSE) diploma in the spring and winter of 2016. Despite the challenges they faced early in life, they committed to earning their HSE for themselves and their children.
Marce dropped out of high school because his parents were addicts, and he needed to secure a job to help support his siblings. Marce shared “When Destini and I first met, we made a promise to be better than our parents were.”
Their first child, Tay (their daughter), was born premature with Cerebral Palsy. It became too much to go to school and raise a child, so Destini soon dropped out to care for their daughter. They promised each other they would go back to school to get their HSEs, but life got busy and they soon had four children.
Jenecia John, 2022 High School Equivalency Graduate, Nashville Campus
Due to family problems, Jenecia was unable to complete high school. She originally tested with TASC in New Jersey and had passed all subjects but math. However, after moving to TN, she learned she would need to take all the tests again. She discovered Begin Anew through a Google search and enrolled with us in February 2022.
She quickly passed all subjects she had completed previously in New Jersey and set out to finish math. She worked hard, coming to math class each week from May to September, when we celebrated her passing math test! Jenecia thanks Jonah, her most recent math tutor, for all of his help in her earning her diploma!
Jenecia shared that one of her favorite experiences at Begin Anew was a recent goal coaching session with one of our volunteers. She said it not only helped her identify her goals but inspired her to make a game plan on how to accomplish them.
She also shared that Bible study was one of the best times and she plans to continue attending. Jenecia plans to apply to nursing school at Nashville State Community College to become a labor and delivery nurse. We are so proud of Jenecia and all the hard work she put in to finish strong!
2022 Begin Anew Student Award Recipients
Laurien Assis (pictured on the left) and Margareth Caballero (pictured on the right) are this year’s Student Award Recipients!
Laurien Assis, was selected to receive the Academic Scholarship given by the Women’s Missionary Union (WMU) Foundation to help her pursue a college degree in business administration. “When I decided to get my high school diploma in the USA, Begin Anew was the program that appealed to me the most,” Assis said. “I was excited to study in a place that shared the same values and religious foundation that I was raised with.
While studying at Begin Anew, I was able to improve my English tremendously and make lasting friendships.”
Margareth Caballero, is this year’s Faye Dove Scholarship recipient, this annual scholarship honors select CWJC graduates who have demonstrated perseverance in achieving personal goals and plan to continue their education. Margareth shared that Begin Anew has impacted her life in many ways, but the biggest was giving her the opportunity to earn a high school diploma online. “It was a blessing to be able to do all my classes online, as I was able to work full-time and take care of my daughter.”
To read the full article by Grace Thornton click: Begin Anew Student Award Recipients
2021 High School Equivalency Graduate
Margareth (Maly) certainly practiced patience throughout numerous difficulties in her life. Beginning when she left Honduras with her mother who wanted Maly to have a better life. Thankfully, Maly moved to Tennessee and ultimately found Begin Anew.
Maly enrolled during the initial few months of the global pandemic in 2020 and never experienced in-person learning in the time leading up to earning her high school equivalency in 2021. Maly’s tutor, former math teacher Maureen “Reeney” Herrel, served as Maly’s sole instructor during the pursuit of her degree. Their sessions, held on Zoom or FaceTime, took place around Maly’s full-time work schedule. Many of these lessons occurred while she held her daughter Melany Juliette in her lap. “She is very smart and understood the material without much trouble, Reeney said. “Again, her determination was very evident.” To read more click Maly’s Story.
2020 High School Equivalency Graduate.
Laurien’s testimony is about her life journey from Brazil to Begin Anew Student Graduate to enrolling in college!
I am a native of Brazil, and my life journey started in a small town in the state of Minas Gerais. I am the youngest of three children, and I was raised in a lovely and peaceful home with my siblings, parents, and grandmother. My parents have always been simple people, who never had the opportunity or finances to pursue higher education. Nevertheless, they sacrificed greatly to excel in their trades and provide a better life for their children.
As I was working, I decided to pursue a cultural exchange program where I could work and study abroad. I committed to working for a family in Tennessee as their Au Pair. I had never been on a plane, and I didn’t speak much English. I was a dreamer from a small town in Brazil, flying to the United States to pursue a program that ultimately would change the trajectory of my life. The read more click Laurien’s Story.
2019 English Language Learning and High School Equivalency Graduate
Gonzalo arrived in the United States from Mexico in 2016. He did not speak English, but fortunately, his stepmother attended classes at Begin Anew. With her encouragement, along with his father’s, Gonzalo began attending English Language Learning classes in January 2017. He was also motivated to attend Begin Anew because of his dreams to launch his own electric company business.
During Bible Study, Gonzalo learned about and accepted Christ. His mentor, Andy Dodson, stood by his side when he was baptized. He credits Andy, along with tutor Tony Sizemore, as being the difference makers for him. Without them, he said, “I don’t know where I would be. They pushed me; they believed in me, and that made all the difference.”
Gonzalo still meets with Andy saying that he teaches him to be a better man for his family. Gonzalo said he is proud of his family adding that they keep him connected to God. While reflecting on how different his life would be without Begin Anew, Gonzalo said, “I wouldn’t be here. I would not have my family. I would not have my company.” I am thankful to have graduated and I now have my own company. He also added “It was the best decision I ever made. I feel that I can take care of my family the way God intended me to.”
2018 English Language Learning Graduate
Zinah grew up in Iraq, completed high school, and married another Iraqi citizen in 2002. Her husband worked and eventually served as a translator for the U.S. Government for 10 years. During this tenure, he performed other duties, which brought increased tensions, anxiety, and outright fear into the household. These duties brought threats to him, Zinah, and their children. These scary and difficult circumstances were even more frightening because Zinah and her children were alone for 25 days each month as her husband worked in his own life-threatening realities.
During his travel, Zinah and their children remained unsafe at home. Their home featured cameras so her husband and other family members could watch for terrorists. The family members took turns staying awake each night peering into the darkness. Zinah often could not even stay in her own home and moved frequently from house to house: her husband’s family home, her mother’s home, or coming back to the home she shared with her husband. Each month Zinah’s husband returned home for five precious days on leave. In 2016, the US Government determined it was no longer safe for Zinah and her family to remain in Baghdad. The threats and danger escalated too high. Read More
2016 Computer/Job Skills Graduate - March 2022 Update
Your life-changing impact can be seen in Kathy’s testimony of how she got started in her journey with Begin Anew and where she is today (March 2022).
In order to provide for her young family, Kathy needed more skills but questioned whether she could do it. Driving down West Main Street, she spotted a yard sign in front of Walker Baptist Church that read “Computer Classes.” Kathy wondered, “Could I do it? Can I take on one more thing?”
Kathy decided to plow ahead and called the number on the sign. A welcoming voice at Begin Anew affirmed Kathy, and they scheduled a time to meet. Read The Rest of Kathy's Story
