Olivia, 25

Olivia loved being a student at Santee Educational Complex.  She was a cheerleader and on the basketball team.  She worked hard and earned all her credits but had one major roadblock: the math section of a state exit exam. Olivia left school and was about to give up on ever earning her diploma when a friend told her about LAEC. She enrolled in our TEC South LA/Saito High School, which is co-located at the LA Conservation Corps. On alternating months, she attended school and received job training.  Caring LAEC instructors made complex math concepts in algebra and statistics come alive, and she thrived under the tutelage of LA Corps' crew supervisors in its recycling program. She was eventually promoted to front office staff and learned to be a driver for the graffiti program.  The mom of two (ages 1 and 6) enjoyed the support she got from our case management staff in making a decision to seek an AA in child development at Los Angeles Trade and Technical College.