After earning her GED through Project Learn, Nikole explored different jobs before an unexpected opportunity led her to a career she loves as a school bus driver in Summit County.
“Never in a million years did I see myself driving a school bus, but here I am and I'm grateful for the opportunity.”
— Nikole
After earning her GED through Project Learn, Nikole explored different jobs before an unexpected opportunity led her to a career she loves as a school bus driver in Summit County.
Nikole never imagined herself driving a school bus.
She was between jobs and searching for something more stable when she applied to more than 50 positions online. The first call she received was about becoming a school bus driver.
The position offered paid training and a hiring bonus, but the thought of driving a 15-ton vehicle was intimidating.
Still, Nikole decided to give it a chance.
"I knew this opportunity does not happen all the time so I went ahead and ran with it!" she recalled.
Today, she's a school bus driver in Summit County. It's a career she never expected, but one that gives her stability, a sense of purpose, and more time with her daughter.
When Nikole first came to Project Learn in 2018, she wanted to create better opportunities for herself and her family.
She knew that many jobs required a high school diploma or GED, and she didn't want her education to continue limiting her options.
"All of the good paying jobs required a diploma or GED," she explained. "I knew I was going to be stuck in a vicious cycle of low paying jobs if something didn't change."
One person she remembers especially well is Jackie Phillips, who was her teacher when she first started.
"Her demeanor and kindness that she showed made me look forward to class," Nikole said. "She believed in me before I could believe in myself."
Nikole's path to graduation wasn't continuous. She stepped away from her studies about halfway through, then returned a year and a half later to finish what she had started.
In July 2022, she earned her GED through Project Learn.
Earning her GED opened new possibilities, but Nikole still had to figure out what kind of work suited her.
She tried different jobs, often looking for better pay. Some required traveling as far as Lodi or Medina, and she eventually realized that a higher paycheck wasn't the only thing that mattered.
"Trying to find your place in the world is never easy," she said.
She wanted something she could build on, a job that offered stability and fit her life.
That's when the opportunity to become a school bus driver came along.
It wasn't something she'd planned, but the paid training gave her a chance to learn a new skill and pursue a different direction.
Earning her Commercial Driver's License (CDL) was a challenge.
Driving such a large vehicle was outside Nikole's comfort zone, and training came with its share of difficult moments.
"Earning my CDL was a huge accomplishment," she said. "A lot of tears were ahead during the training period."
But the experience also helped her build confidence.
Today, Nikole takes pride in the responsibility of transporting children safely and being part of their everyday lives.
"The responsibility that comes with being a school bus driver and being trusted to transport children is an honor," she said. "You get to watch children bloom and grow into their own personality."
She also appreciates the coworkers who supported her when she was learning the job.
What began as an unfamiliar opportunity has become a career she genuinely enjoys.
For Nikole, finding the right job meant more than having steady work.
It also meant being able to spend time with her daughter.
She's grateful to have a career she enjoys without having to work long hours that keep her away from her family.
And she's already thinking about how she might grow in the profession. One day, she'd like to become a trainer and help other people learn to drive school buses.
She also hopes to return to school to study forestry, an interest that goes back to childhood hikes and fishing trips with her father.
For now, she's happy with the direction her life has taken.
Looking back, Nikole is proud that she gave herself the chance to try things she once thought were beyond her reach.
Earning her GED was an important early step.
"Obtaining my GED was the first step I took for myself to regain control of my own life and its direction," she said.
Since then, she has learned that building confidence and finding the right path can take time.
Her career didn't come from a carefully laid-out plan. It came from trying different things, recognizing what mattered to her, and being willing to take an opportunity that initially frightened her.
For other Project Learn students who aren't sure what they want to do next, Nikole has a simple message:
"Be patient. Rome wasn't built in a day," she said.
She encourages others to consider opportunities that feel right and pursue something they genuinely enjoy.
Nikole never expected to find herself behind the wheel of a school bus.
Now, she's grateful she took the chance.
After years of working toward her GED and nine attempts at the math test, Marquetta Logan earned her GED and continued into college, with her sights now set on a career in nursing.
I am most proud of the fact that I didn’t give up.”
— Marquetta
There were times when Marquetta Logan stepped away.
She first came to Project Learn in 2021 because she wanted to make a change in her life. Earning her GED was something she had put off for a long time, but she knew it could open the door to continuing her education and pursuing a career in healthcare.
The journey took longer than she expected.
Marquetta passed some of her GED tests, but math became her biggest challenge. She took the math test nine times.
“There were moments when I wanted to give up,” she said. “But I kept reminding myself why I started.”
On October 9, 2025, Marquetta finally passed.
She had earned her GED.
When Marquetta looks back at Project Learn, she remembers having somewhere she could return to, even when reaching her goal became difficult.
“What I remember most is the support and having a place where I could continue trying,” she said.
Her experience with math taught her something that went beyond the test.
“Struggling with something doesn't mean you can't accomplish it,” Marquetta said. “Sometimes you have to be patient with yourself and understand that everyone's journey is different.”
Most importantly, she said, Project Learn taught her not to give up on herself.
Marquetta didn't want earning her GED to be the end of her education.
In January 2026, just a few months after passing her final test, she started college.
“Getting my GED showed me that I was capable of doing more than I once believed I could,” she said.
Marquetta had long been interested in healthcare because she enjoyed helping people. During the spring semester, she studied Phlebotomy and Medical Terminology. Phlebotomy gave her the opportunity to develop a hands-on healthcare skill and work directly with patients.
“For me, earning my GED wasn't the finish line,” she said. “It was the beginning of a new chapter.”
Completing phlebotomy gave Marquetta another reason to keep going.
She had gone from struggling to pass her GED math test to completing a college healthcare program. This fall, she is continuing her education in a one-year Medical Assisting program.
“Each step has given me more confidence,” she said. “I try not to focus on how much I still have left to accomplish. Instead, I remind myself of everything I've already overcome.”
And Medical Assisting isn't where she plans to stop.
After completing the program, Marquetta plans to take the prerequisites needed for an LPN program and continue advancing her education in nursing.
Of everything Marquetta has accomplished, one thing still stands out.
“I am most proud of the fact that I didn't give up.”
She remembers the frustration and discouragement of taking the math test again and again. But she also remembers what happened when she kept trying.
“When I finally passed, I knew that all of those setbacks were worth it.”
Today, Marquetta is in college preparing for a future in healthcare. And when she thinks about another Project Learn student who may be struggling with a test or wondering what can come after a GED, she knows what she wants them to hear.
“Don't think of your GED as the end—think of it as the beginning.”
Her advice comes from experience.
“Don't let one test, one setback, or one difficult season make you believe that you can't do it,” Marquetta said. “Keep going. Ask for help when you need it. Take your time if you have to. Your journey doesn't have to look like anyone else's.”
For Marquetta, the road took longer than she expected.
But she kept coming back.
More than a decade after earning his GED through Project Learn, Doug returned to encourage a new generation of graduates while continuing a journey that has taken him from college to doctoral studies and a career serving others.
“Your past does not define you.”
— Doug
More than a decade after Doug Kirchner came to Project Learn as a student, he found himself back in front of a new group of graduates.
This time, he wasn't there to earn a credential.
He was there to speak.
Doug returned for Project Learn’s 2026 Recognition & Graduation Ceremony after a journey that had taken him from earning his GED to college, graduate school, doctoral studies, and a career serving young people and families through the juvenile justice system.
But coming back wasn't only about how far his own journey had taken him.
It was also about what he could offer the people just beginning theirs.
A Promise That Started the Journey
Doug’s path to Project Learn began during one of the most difficult periods of his life.
His daughter, Skyler, had spent six years fighting brain cancer. A few weeks before she died at age 12, father and daughter talked about something Doug had never finished: high school.
Doug had dropped out in ninth grade.
Skyler asked him to make her a promise. After she was gone, he would earn his GED.
At the time, Doug had also lost his business and home after taking time away from work to care for his daughter. He was unemployed and trying to figure out what came next when he was directed to the OhioMeansJobs Center and connected with Project Learn.
Skyler died on November 2, 2011.
The following year, Doug kept his promise.
He earned his GED.
“When I obtained my GED, it was a major lift off my shoulders,” Doug said. “I was also able to fulfill the promise I made to my daughter.”
Doug’s promise to Skyler and his return to education have been shared before through news and university features.
But earning his GED turned out to be only the beginning.
Through Project Learn, Doug connected with Kent State University’s GED Scholars Initiative.
College wasn't something he had imagined for himself.
He attended a weeklong program about going to college and, almost unexpectedly, found himself taking the next step.
“I never thought [college] was in my worldview ever,” Doug said.
At Kent State, Doug studied Applied Conflict Management with a minor in Criminal Justice. He was also working full time as a lead investigator, sometimes working around 70 hours a week while carrying a full course load.
He earned his bachelor’s degree.
Then he kept going.
In 2019, Doug earned a master’s degree in criminal justice.
Today, he is pursuing a Ph.D.
Doug doesn't describe the Ph.D. as something he needs for his current job.
This one is personal.
“I just want to prove to myself that I can do it.”
For Doug, that means proving something about the student he once was, too.
“I just want to prove that the kid who dropped out of school in the 9th grade, who failed several grades, and had dyslexia could make it.”
At 35, earning a GED had once seemed almost impossible to him.
Now, the same person is working toward a doctorate.
But education didn't only change what Doug believed he could accomplish academically. It also helped shape where he wanted to put his experiences to work.
Changing Things From Within
Doug’s career eventually led him into juvenile justice.
After working with the Summit County Prosecutor’s Office, he joined the Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court. He began as a probation officer and later moved into his current role as Specialized Dockets Coordinator.
For Doug, the work is deeply personal.
He describes himself as someone who has always wanted to protect people and help those in need. Experiences from his own life also shaped his desire to work with young people and families.
As a probation officer, Doug worked directly with youth. Some have stayed in contact with him years later.
When people suggested he return to probation because of that direct connection, Doug saw another way to make a difference.
“In the role I am in, Specialized Docket Coordinator, I can help make a change from within the system,” he said.
Working alongside his team, Doug wants young people and their families to understand that a difficult moment does not have to determine the rest of their lives.
It is a message shaped by his own experience.
In July 2026, Doug’s journey brought him back to Project Learn.
He joined students, families, staff, and community members at Project Learn’s Recognition & Graduation Ceremony, this time as one of the speakers.
Years earlier, Doug had been the adult learner wondering what could come next.
Now he was standing in front of adults beginning their own next chapters.
The experience stayed with him.
After the ceremony, Doug shared how much it meant to be part of the GED process. He also began thinking about ways to be more proactive in connecting people who want a GED with opportunities to earn one.
His connection with Project Learn had come full circle.
He returned not simply as a former student, but as someone thinking about how he could help open doors for others.
The Rest of the Story Isn't Written
There is something Doug often tells young people through his work at the court.
It comes from a life that has given him plenty of reasons to believe it.
“Your past does not define you.”
But Doug doesn't stop there.
“After you know what needs to be done and are given the tools to succeed, that is where the defining happens. You will be defined by what you do in the future.”
And then comes the part that may say the most about Doug’s own journey:
“Your past is but a chapter in your life, and the rest of the story is not written, so make it a good ending.”
Doug’s story isn't finished either.
More than a decade after earning his GED, he is still learning, still serving, and still looking for ways to help someone else see what might come next.
After returning to Project Learn more than once, Amaya earned her GED and moved forward into healthcare, with a growing commitment to helping others.
“The hope I had for my future kept me going.”
— Amaya
Amaya Phelps came to Project Learn four times before she became a graduate.
The first time, she was 20 or 21 and had recently become a mother. She wanted to finish her education, but she was also beginning to think about something bigger: the kind of future she wanted for herself and her family.
“My mindset needed to match my reality,” she said.
Getting there would take time.
There was work and there were children to raise. Transportation wasn't always reliable. Her son's therapy and school appointments became part of an already busy family schedule. At times, Amaya was exhausted and trying simply to keep everything moving.
Her path through Project Learn wasn't a straight one.
But she kept coming back.
“The hope I had for my future kept me going.”
— Amaya
By her fourth enrollment, Amaya knew she was ready to finish what she had started.
“This last time was the time I knew I really wanted to achieve something,” she said.
And this time, she earned her GED.
For Amaya, earning her GED meant she could finally “move on.”
She had spent years imagining where she wanted to be and knowing she wasn't there yet.
“I could move on with my life and be that hard-working person I always dreamt to be,” she said.
Graduation gave her more than a credential. It changed the way she thought about herself and what she might be capable of doing next.
Soon, one of those next steps would take her back to something that had been part of her life since childhood.
Amaya describes herself as a “grandma's girl.”
Growing up, she helped care for her grandmother, learning about blood pressure, insulin, medications and personal care at an early age.
Her grandmother died when Amaya was 12 and those experiences became difficult memories. For years, Amaya thought healthcare wasn't a field she wanted to enter.
As an adult, she began to see those childhood experiences differently.
“Now as an adult I can understand why I did it,” she said. “Out of love I have for people and the difference my care makes.”
Amaya began working as a direct support provider in 2023. She later completed STNA training at Stark State and has worked in home health and now in rehabilitation and long-term care.
The work brought her back to something she had understood as a child: caring for another person can matter in small, everyday ways.
“I make a difference in my residents' lives every day by making them smile,” she said.
That desire to help others is also behind something Amaya is building outside of work.
Beyond the Label
Amaya started Beyond the Label, a nonprofit inspired by her son, Carmine, and her family's experience navigating his autism diagnosis.
The experience left Amaya wanting other parents and families to have somewhere to turn when they find themselves navigating similar questions.
“I had to embrace it and find what works for us,” she said.
Beyond the Label is focused on supporting children and families, especially children with disabilities, through resources, mentorship, advocacy and support. Amaya's longer-term vision includes developing an ABA center.
The name reflects an idea that matters deeply to her: a child should be seen for who they are, not defined by a diagnosis or disability.
“I want to help others navigate through their struggles,” she said.
Amaya is still deciding exactly where her own career will take her. She was accepted to The University of Akron with a scholarship to pursue a bachelor's degree in social work, though she has put those plans on hold for now.
Social work remains one of the possibilities she is considering, particularly work involving young people, mentorship or addiction services. For now, she continues working in healthcare while developing her plans for Beyond the Label.
And there is another place she'd like to return to.
Amaya remembers what it was like to be the student who wasn't sure she could finish.
She remembers being afraid of the GED tests and struggling with testing anxiety. She also remembers the people who encouraged her through it, especially Jackie and Edna, whom she calls “my rocks.”
Now she wants to come back to Project Learn.
Not as a student this time.
She wants to encourage the person who is still working toward graduation.
“I'd love to come back and motivate other students,” Amaya said. “I'd like to share my stories with them and let them see they're not alone.”
Her advice reflects that experience:
“Do not be scared to fail. Failing means you're a step closer to succeeding.”
— Amaya
Years ago, Amaya walked into Project Learn hoping to create a different future.
She came back more than once before she reached graduation.
Now she is working in healthcare, building something to support other families and considering where her education might take her next.
And someday, she hopes to walk back into Project Learn again—this time for the student who needs someone in their corner.
Shannon returned to education at 49, earned her GED, and opened the door to work where she now supports and advocates for families in her community.
“There is not an end date on opportunities to learn and achieve our goals.”
— Shannon
Shannon Bolinger had more than one reason for going back to school.
She wanted better employment opportunities. She wanted to finish an education she felt she had left incomplete years earlier. And she wanted her children and grandchildren to see something important in her decision to return.
Education still mattered.
So did finishing what she had started.
At 49, Shannon began working toward her GED.
For her, it was part of what she describes as a larger journey of addressing patterns in her family and creating something different for the generations coming after her.
She wanted her family to see that learning and achievement didn't come with an expiration date.
Going back to school later in life came with challenges Shannon expected—and some that she hadn't encountered in years.
She was the oldest student in her class. The amount of time that had passed since high school meant returning to subjects she hadn't studied for a long time.
There were generational differences in the classroom, too, including different ways of learning.
But Shannon stayed with it.
Earning her GED eventually came to represent three things to her:
“Perseverance, dedication and accomplishment.”
— Shannon
There was another meaning behind the credential as well.
Shannon saw finishing her education as an opportunity to make peace with something she had long wished she'd done differently.
She described it as having “made right what I felt was an opportunity I had wasted in my youth.”
This time, she finished.
And the next opportunity came quickly.
From Education to Advocacy
After earning her GED, Shannon found stable employment with an organization that already held personal meaning for her: Greenleaf Family Center.
Today, she works as a PEERS Parent Advocate.
Her days put her directly in the community with families who may need someone to listen, help them navigate resources, advocate alongside them, or simply remind them that they have support.
For Shannon, it is much more than a job.
“Being an advocate is my passion, and I’m so proud of the work I do every day and what it means to the families in our community.”
— Shannon
She describes the work as providing support, empowerment, education, and advocacy to families every day.
Her philosophy is straightforward:
“Creating change one connection at a time.”
Of everything that has happened since earning her GED, becoming a Parent Advocate is the accomplishment Shannon says she is most proud of.
The education she returned to complete for herself and her family helped open the door to work that now allows her to serve other families throughout the community.
No End Date
Looking back, Shannon remembers feeling supported and encouraged while working toward her GED.
“I always felt supported, encouraged and believed in,” she said of her Project Learn team. “That stays with me always.”
Looking back, Shannon remembers feeling supported and encouraged while working toward her GED.
Now she offers that same belief to adults who may be considering returning to school themselves.
Her message is especially meaningful coming from someone who walked back into a classroom at 49 and had to adjust to learning again after years away.
“It is never too late!”
— Shannon
For Shannon, returning to education wasn't about trying to recreate an opportunity she had at 18.
It was about recognizing the opportunities still available to her at 49—and showing the generations after her that they can continue learning, too.
As she puts it:
“There is not an end date on opportunities to learn and achieve our goals.”
— Shannon
After beginning his English-learning journey at Project Learn, Sulaiman kept moving forward, building confidence, pursuing college, and working toward new goals.
“Project Learn has a special meaning to me because it is where I began my English-learning journey.”
— Sulaiman
For Sulaiman, learning has never been limited to one classroom.
Today, he is studying civil engineering at Stark State College, working as a chef at Tamr Mediterranean Grille, and building a future for himself and his family. Years before college and career goals became part of the picture, one of his first priorities was learning English.
“I came to Project Learn because I wanted to improve myself, strengthen my English, and gradually become the best version of myself,” Sulaiman said.
English did not come easily at first.
“Learning English was really difficult for me in the beginning,” he said. “However, I learned that with consistent practice, patience, and determination, things become easier over time.”
Sulaiman kept working at it. Little by little, the language that once felt difficult became something he could use with more confidence in everyday life.
“Over the years, I have continued working on myself and improving my English,” he said. “I have become much more confident when speaking and communicating with others.”
That is part of why Project Learn still holds a special place for him.
“Project Learn has a special meaning to me because it is where I began my English-learning journey,” he said. “It gave me the opportunity to learn, grow, and become more confident.
One of Sulaiman’s memories from Project Learn took his learning beyond the classroom.
While he and his classmates were practicing for citizenship, they had the opportunity to participate in the Pledge of Allegiance at Akron City Council.
“I remember that day as a very meaningful experience,” Sulaiman said. “At the time, we were in class practicing for our citizenship, and it was special to have the opportunity to participate in such an important event.”
The experience became one of the meaningful moments Sulaiman remembers from his time at Project Learn.
Sulaiman’s learning journey has also taken him to Stark State College, where he is studying civil engineering. His goal is to graduate, build a successful career, and find work where he can continue growing professionally.
College is another step forward as Sulaiman continues working toward his goals.
Outside of school, Sulaiman works as a chef and cook at Tamr Mediterranean Grille.
He enjoys preparing food, but what matters most to him is the experience he creates for the people eating it.
“One of the most rewarding parts of my job is seeing people enjoy the food I make,” he said. “It makes me happy to know that my cooking brings joy to others.”
For all that Sulaiman has accomplished and continues to work toward, the thing he is proudest of is not a class, job, or credential.
It is his family.
“Today, I am most grateful and proud to have my family and my son,” he said. “They are very important to me and motivate me to continue working hard and becoming a better person.”
When he thinks about someone else beginning the same kind of journey, whether learning English or continuing their education, his advice is simple: keep learning.
He encourages people to find a good learning environment, use their time to improve themselves, and take advantage of the opportunities around them.
“The most important thing is to stay motivated, practice consistently, and never be afraid to learn something new.”
For Sulaiman, learning began with English. It never stopped there.
