Student Stories: D'Janee Brooks

D’Janee Brooks Success Story- In Her Own Words

My name is D’Janee Brooks. I am 32 years old and I am currently attending Riverside City College finishing up my prerequisites for nursing school. Before completing my high school diploma at the L.A. Technology Center, I attended Susan Miller Dorsey High School all of my 4 years and unfortunately did not graduate with my class of 2009.

I did not have the best support system in high school and as a result my grades were never good enough. After watching my friends walk with my class, I thought to myself, “This cannot be it for me.” So I continued my education at Los Angeles Technology Center, completed my last remaining classes for my high school diploma, and graduated one year later in June, 2010 with my high school diploma. I had to believe in myself and motivate myself to finish. So, when I did, walking across that stage for my diploma gave me a sense of completion and an accomplishment.

Currently, I am working towards getting accepted into my college’s nursing school program where I will hopefully obtain my ADN/BSN within a two year time span. My future is becoming a nurse practitioner.

Some advice to others reading this, who may still be struggling to complete high school or pass the HiSET: Do not give up, please do not give up. All you need is one person to believe in you and that one person can even be yourself. I didn’t have anybody to support me or encourage me to keep going. I was all of that for myself. If you feel yourself thinking that you just can’t do this or that it’s taking too long to reach your goal, just know that it’ll all be worth it in the end.   Keep going! I am your biggest supporter and motivator.

At this point, I am proudest of accomplishing every goal that I have set out for myself and I still continue to keep pushing forward. I am proud of continuing my education despite all odds and roadblocks stacked against me.

D’Janee at her high school graduation ceremony