By: Amy Kozachuk | Syracuse EOC
If you ever have the pleasure of meeting Syracuse EOC HSE graduate Theresa Holden, you will be struck by her enthusiastic energy and her ability to spread it to you! Theresa has maintained this positivity throughout her educational journey as an adult.
Because Theresa had to leave school in the eighth grade to help her family, she could not read very well. She knew adult education was for her. After successfully completing LiteracyCNY classes to improve her reading skills, she enrolled in Syracuse EOC’s Introduction to Academics program. In that program, Theresa continued to build her reading and math skills to be able to enroll in the HSE (High School Equivalency) program to prepare for the TASC exam and earn her high school diploma. As Theresa progressed through her HSE courses, she passed four of the five TASC subtests: all except the math test. With excellent work in class, she earned a math test waiver during the pandemic to earn her high school diploma. Congratulations, Theresa! A fantastic goal achieved!
At each step along the way, Theresa’s optimistic attitude and willingness to learn and study hard have spread to others. Her EOC Language Arts instructor Michelle Monsour comments, “Theresa consistentlybrightens up the classroom and serves as a role model to her classmates.”
Theresa Holden is a perfect example of so many of our Syracuse EOC students: willing to work hard to overcome any educational struggle while staying motivated to achieve her goals. Because of this, she was nominated by her instructors to appear on the front of this year’s New Readers Press catalog. No question, her smiling face on the cover and compelling story inside the catalog will inspire New Readers Press customers all over the world.
