When Anita was only a Junior in high school she became pregnant. Still she worked as hard as she could to try to stay on track and graduate with her classmates. When her baby was born prematurely, and had to stay in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit for two weeks, Anita still continued to try to balance the demands of motherhood with her schoolwork, but as senior year approached she found out she was still classified as a Junior, even after all her hard work. She was devasted, but instead of giving up she decided to find another way to complete high school. She got a tip from a Nurse from Nurse Family Partnership, about NCWorks NextGen program (formerly YouthWorks). Anita did not hesitate to enroll in the program, and connected with Gaston College to complete her Adult High School Diploma.

NCWorks NextGen program also assisted Anita with obtaining her first job through a Work Experience position. Again she got a life changing tip when one of the CST drivers who was transporting her to work told Anita about her other job as an EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) Sparked with interest, Anita decided to pursue a career as a paramedic. The Gaston County WIOA program helped Anita by creating a pre-apprenticeship opportunity for her at Gaston Emergency Management Services (GEMS).

Anita is now working in her chosen career, and she’s receiving guidance, support and mentorship from experienced paramedics, while she pursues her degree at Gaston College.

Anita credits many caring adults for her success, including her mentors at GEMS, NCWorks NextGen, Gaston College, and the Workforce Development Board’s Business Service Representative.