My name is Adrian Sliffe. My story isn’t a pretty one, but a necessary one. When I was 15 years old I was raped and got pregnant as a result of that rape. My mother, who is an alcoholic, kicked me out of my home. At first, I tried so hard to stay in school, but at that time it became an impossible task. I stopped being able to find rides. I wasn't able to come up with lunch money and I’d go hungry. At this point in my life, I am 34 years old and all I've done with my life is to be a stay-at-home mother. I want to become something. I want to matter.

     I know CFHS is going to help me succeed. I know they are going to help me, shape me and mold me and give me the tools I need to start this journey down the path called education. I want to succeed so bad I can taste it. I can feel it inside my heart this is the right path for me. It's never too late to start. This time I will finish and nothing will hold me back.

     My son is almost 18. How can I preach to him how important education is, and at the same time not take my own seriously and not finish mine? So not only am I doing this for me but I want to set an example. I want him to see that anything is possible no matter what life puts you through or how hard it is. Education is truly the key to a successful life. And yes sometimes it's hard, but that's not going to change so it can be hard now or hard later. Education is Crucial to a successful life.

     My plans and my goals are to get my diploma. I want to show my son that If I can do it at 34, then the sky is the limit for him. I want to be more than just a stay-at-home mom. I want all my dreams and goals to come true. In a perfect world where there are no obstacles such as money, I would love to go to college and get my master's in History. In this world, I would love to go to a school like

Unitech Academy and be a medical assistant. I just want to be somebody, I want to be proud of myself and my son to be proud of me and for the world to know I'm not just some loser raising kids, that I got up dusted myself off, and made something of myself.

Adrian Sliffe

Age 34

2023 Graduate

Community First High School

2024 UPDATE:

Since getting my HiSET and attending school at Unitech Academy to become a medical assistant I've maintained a perfect 4.0 GPA and made the Director's list the entire time. I also maintained a perfect score of 100 or above. I made the National Technical Honor Society and passed my national exams. I'm a nationally certified medical assistant and can work in any state. I am so happy that I now have a job at a neurosurgeon's office in Monroe at Brain and Spine Associates.

     I’ve always had a somewhat crazy and confusing life. For the past couple of months, I have been content living in Minden with my dad. I feel that Community First High School will help me become very successful in my future life.

     Education is very important for any career that anyone would dream of pursuing. Education is important to me because in almost any real-life situation you will have to use something you’ve learned in school. It's also important to help someone build their own personal character.

     When I was younger I always dreamed of being an astronaut or an archeologist. Now I see myself as more of a cosmetologist, phlebotomist, or working in a law firm. I’ll still always have big dreams though.

Zoie Tilley

Age 16

2023 Student

Community First High School

     School is an essential aspect of everyone's life, as it provides us with the knowledge and skills we need to succeed in the world. As a student, I believe that Community First High School has helped me become a better person in many ways, both academically and personally.

     Academically, Community First High School has allowed me to develop my critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Through various assignments and projects, I have learned to analyze information, identify patterns, and develop solutions to complex problems. These skills have not only helped me in my academic career but have also translated into my personal life. I have learned to approach challenges with a critical and analytical mindset, allowing me to overcome obstacles in a more effective way.

     Community First High School has also provided me with a wealth of knowledge and information that has broadened my perspective on the world. Through classes and discussions, I have learned about various cultures, histories, and ideas that have expanded my understanding of the world. This has allowed me to become more open-minded and accepting of different perspectives, which is an essential quality for personal growth and development.

     Moreover, the school has helped me develop important life skills that are necessary for success in the real world. These skills include time management, organization, and communication, which are essential in both academic and personal settings. I have learned to prioritize my tasks, manage my time effectively, and communicate my ideas and thoughts clearly and concisely. These skills have helped me become a more responsible and independent person, which is critical for personal growth.

     Furthermore, Community First High School has allowed me to develop meaningful relationships with peers and teachers. Through various activities, projects, and events, I have had the opportunity to interact with a diverse group of people, which has allowed me to learn from their experiences and perspectives. These relationships have provided me with a sense of community and support, which has helped me through challenging times and made me feel connected to something larger than myself.

     Community First High School has helped me become a better person in numerous ways. It has allowed me to develop important skills and knowledge that are essential for personal growth and success. It has broadened my perspective and provided me with a sense of community and support, which has helped me through challenging times. School is an essential part of everyone's life, and it has helped me become the person I am today.

Elijah Ferguson

Age: 16

2022-2023 Student

Community First High School

     I feel that the online classes from Community First High School will allow me to graduate in a timely manner that the traditional schools have not helped me with me.  Traditional public schools have not taken into account my medical issues that have only allowed me to go to classes only one or two days a week if that often. This class/Zoom schedule is going to be of great help with those medical issues and keep me on track in life which will allow me to better myself as well as to better my community.

     At this time, I want to finish my high school education and eventually go on to either community college or technical school to have a life that will allow me to be more successful on my career path. By becoming a  student at Community First High School, I will be in a less stressful and less pressured environment that I can deal with while maintaining my concentration that my ADHD sometimes interferes with as well as giving me the ability to handle issues with IBS. Graduating will allow me better choices in my life path which will only expand from there.

     In conclusion, the change in academics will better my life now and for choices in my future. With the life I have planned for I will gain the knowledge to better support the family that God has planned for me as well as help the family I have now.

Wade Darnell

Age: 16

2023 Student

Community First High School

     To ask someone like me such potential life-changing questions such as future plans when

nothing in my life until I came to stay with my current foster mom has even been stable is going to be challenging, to say the least. I mean, how could I have even possibly considered my future plans when my life until now has been a complete disaster being moved from one place to another, being molested, having learning disabilities that make most things in life difficult, and constantly worried about a mom with a terrible addiction problem, having a dad that neglected me, a step-mom that abused me, and then being placed with adults that saw me as a paycheck and not a human?

     I am just now learning how to self-love thanks to Ms. Kim but to say what my future plans are is

very difficult. Right now, I am just hoping I can become a functioning adult in society. I am unsure of what I want to be and hope through this education experience and guidance might find out what my passion in life is.

     Currently, I am in the first stable home I've had since birth.  I feel safe and loved for the first

time like I really matter as a person and sometimes that's hard to take. Sometimes, I forget where I am

and that l am free to be myself. l am currently trying to work out all of the things that brought me here.

I haven't been able to let myself think of a future, I currently occupy myself with roller skating, visiting

my grandmother (my Nonny); every Saturday, social media, walk the neighborhood with a great

Pyrenees named Falkor and watch movies.

     I am looking forward to being in CF High School and completing my high school diploma and

perhaps discovering my passion in life and what I want to pursue as a career. I am hoping that by going to CFHS; I will be able to overcome some disadvantages such as the violence and bullying I experienced in public school, over-crowding that made me anxious and harder to concentrate and perhaps somewhere along the way; I will be able to forget the past long enough to look to the future and discover my passion in life.

     Education is important for many reasons, the most important in real life is that the only good

paying jobs either come with a college degree or technical certification. lt is easy to see and certainly is confirmed by everything in the stores with every adult saying how prices have risen on every product double or more that our economy is deuterating rapidly.

     Answering the questions of "Where I currently am in life?", "Why education is important?",

"What I look forward to from CFHS?", and especially "What are my future plans?" are all questions that I cannot fully answer until I go through this journey but I truly hope my outcome in life is successful enough to be an inspiration to my biological mom and an affirmation of what I can achieve to all the people who said I couldn't or wouldn't ever "Be anything" in life.

Maddison Douget

Age 16

2023 Student

Community First High School

        Today, in the year 2022, my life is a half-done puzzle. I’ve overcome many trials in my life, and each one has become a lesson. From dealing with significant health issues on the verge of losing my life. I was also kicked out of school in 2016 and have been chasing redemption since. Now my mind is free and open to restoring what I once lost in my past.

            My trials have led me to Community First High School with the blessing of a second chance. Acquiring my HiSET Diploma will put my future on level ground. This program is the missing piece to the puzzle of my life. Helping me to become more disciplined and to align with my goals. By the end of this journey, I will be the true example of a complete man.

            Living day by day, more and more, education shows its face. Specific jobs and great opportunities all scream the name of education. Finishing these academic steps show employers you have the trait to complete what you start. High school to college is the resume builder to propel anyone to a better future. Making sacrifices and giving our all for a better life will be one of our best choices.

            After completing the program, I plan to enlist in the United States Navy. Using all the skills and knowledge I have obtained to become a significant sailor for my country. While I float the seas of this world, my journals will continue to grow. Every word will be added to poetry that will be spread to the masses. Giving people the same satisfaction, I felt taking control of my life before self-destruction.

Devante Austin

Age: 27

2022-2023 Student

Community First High School

     My name is Brandi Nevel and I am an 18-year-old graduate of Community First High School. Prior to enrolling as a student I stopped attending school altogether and focused on working and fell way behind my graduating class. I found out about Community First High School through a coworker and couldn't get there fast enough to enroll and begin my journey.

     After filling out the proper paperwork I was able to get right to it and my class welcomed me with open arms. Ms. Miller, my teacher, made sure that everybody had a mutual understanding of each lesson before moving forward and didn't mind giving a little one-on-one time when needed. The 2 hour class period was equally divided to give us time for each subject that we would see on the exam. In less than 6 months, I was able to get on track to obtain my HiSET (High School Equivalency Test) Diploma. I  was given a practice test which I easily was able to pass due to the knowledge I gained from studying what we did in class and in no time I was able to take my HiSET exams.

     Not only did the school help me with my HiSET Diploma. Mrs. Peters was also able to help me gain information about programs at Bossier Parish Community College that I could possibly enroll in to further my education.  Without Community First High School I may have given up on education completely but thanks to Mr. and Mrs. Peters and the teachers I can say I have earned my Hiset Diploma. 

Brandi Nevel

Age 18

Spring 2022 Graduate

Community First High School

   When I started going to Community First High School of Springhill I wasn’t in a perfect place, basically what I mean by that is I was living in a two-bedroom house with my husband and my two children. Yeah, it was okay but not great, and then I started talking to my husband about how I wanted to go back to school. I just didn’t know how to go about going back. I tried going back to my old high school, but they said I was too old to go back to school as a regular high school student. I said,  "Okay, that's fine, but is there anything I can do, or even a number that I can contact to where somebody can help me get into a program to where I can get my HiSet Diploma?"

   The principal told me to give him a minute, so I waited while he went and talked to the counselor. When he came back, he handed me a piece of paper with a name and number on it. I went home and soon after I got home, I called the number. We set up a time and place to meet one another and talked about everything that I would be doing. Once I got to the library, the place where we said we would be able to meet each other, I introduced myself as Kassidy Smith. After we talked for a little bit and told them about myself, I sat down at a desk and started doing my placement test. The placement test is to see where you are the strongest or weakest, for me my biggest weakness was math. 

   After a little while, we moved the little “ study area” to a building that was the physical location of Community First High School Springhill. I walked all the way from my house to Community First High School Springhill about once a week. They continued to test me to make sure I was placed at the correct level. After a week or two, I figured out I was pregnant with my third baby, which was a boy, to say the least, I was very over the moon but also worried about how I was going to be able to go to school and take care of three kids. I told my husband about how I was getting worried about it, and he told me that he believed in me and that I could do it. My husband has always been my biggest support system. 

   Soon I was done with all the testing and seeing exactly where I was academically and they told me to go home after that day, so I did and waited till they told me where I would be placed. Soon I and my little family moved to a new house. We kind of needed a bigger place since we had a third child on the way. Also, we needed to move so we could make sure that people wouldn't know where we moved to because we had to cut a few family members out of our lives due to dangerous situations that we didn't want our children in. 

     When I was about five months pregnant, I had to start seeing a high-risk doctor. Right then I started getting worried about school and everything. I didn't know if I would be able to attend classes with all of my appointments. Soon I realized that I was worried for nothing about scheduling because the classes started at six pm twice a week. I was able to go to my appointments and be back home in time for class. 

   On the day of July 1st, I had an appointment and when I went, they told me to go to the hospital. Soon after we had another bouncing baby boy. I wasn't able to go to class for a little while after having my baby, but after about I'd say two months I started going back to class. After a few months after having my son, I had my tubal ligation surgery. I got Covid-19 and wasn't able to go to class. I felt horrible. My body ached, I was cold even though I was burning up, and I couldn't taste nor was I able to smell. 

   I soon recovered from the help of my husband taking care of me and our children and that was no easy feat either. Let's just say he's not the type nor is he built for taking care of the kids without going insane. What I mean by that is our two oldest were attacking him, climbing on him, and attempting to destroy the house. But he did an amazing job, and while I was sick Mr. and Mrs. Peters, as well as Ms. Miller all, prayed for me and my family hoping that I got better soon and that all of our health got better and we stayed healthy. 

   After about a few weeks I started babysitting three other children. Their mom was going through a breakup, and she didn't have anyone to really watch her kids so I offered. Since I'm a stay-at-home mom I was able to take care of them while she worked. As time went on and we are were in the month of November I got the most horrible news ever: my pawpaw had gotten admitted into the hospital, he had passed out, both of his heaters were on and he stayed on the floor for a whole 48 hours until someone found him. 

   It was his neighbor who came and found him on his floor. She called an ambulance and he was transported to Springhill hospital. He was severely dehydrated and he was rubbed raw on his right thigh. I texted Ms. Miller and Mr. and Mrs. Peters about what I was going through and asked if they wouldn't mind praying for my family. I still went to class to try to distract myself from everything. So as I poured everything I could into studying and taking care of my kids, soon Thanksgiving came around and I made him homemade sugar-free banana pudding. He loved banana pudding. As we visited for a while with my family, I fed him his favorite dessert. 

   He wasn't able to talk much. Apparently, he had a mini-stroke and didn't look like himself. I tried my hardest to not cry in front of him or anyone because I'm not gonna lie there are a few people in my family who are very judgemental. But I still love them all the same. That was the last time I saw my pawpaw in person since my kids came down with a cold. We weren't able to see him, his immune system was gone, to say the least. Soon December came rolling around and somewhere in the second week I already knew what happened when I had gotten that one phone call from my aunt letting me know that he had died. I was devastated when I heard that. I texted Mr. and Mrs. Peters and Ms. Miller telling them everything that has happened. They understood everything that had happened to me and they told me if I ever needed to talk to them about anything that they were there for me and if it wasn't for Mrs. Peters talking to me for a while I would've broken down a lot worse than I did. 

   While I was at the visitation and the actual funeral it wasn't good. I felt as though it wasn't real until after the whole service at the church, and even to this day, it hurts just thinking about it. But when I started going back to classes Ms. Miller asked me if I was okay with everything and she also told me that she has been praying for me and my family, I told her I was doing as good as anyone can be and how I was trying to be strong and put my brave face on in front of my children I don't like showing them any weakness from me since they look to me as their mom and protector just like their dad. 

  It's been three months since everything has happened. I had to cut my sister-in-law out of my life, my pawpaw died, getting sick, and a whole bunch of other things that would've prevented me. I wouldn't be able to even go to school let alone afford it. But as I near the end of the tunnel I realized that God was with me every step of the way and still is. 

     With everything that happened, Mr. and Mrs. Peters as well as Ms. Miller understood and listened to everything that I had going on. When I was in class, while I was cooking, and while I had my two-year-old on my back while taking care of the other five children While still doing my work let me tell you that was not an easy thing to do at all, it was worth all of it to get to where I am today and all that I had accomplished. So I just wanted to say thank you for everything that Mr. and Mrs. Peters as well as Ms. Miller did for me and for helping me by completing my goal of graduating. And the reason why I decided to get my HISET diploma is to show my children that no matter what if you put in the hard work and set your goals you will achieve everything that you set your mind to. And who knows, in about a year or so I might go to college and make something of myself. I'm not always going to be a stay-at-home mom, I might become a home nurse or something like that or even an LPN.

Kassidy Smith

Spring 2022 Graduate

Community First High School

     My name is Gloria Chancellor and here is my story. When I was fifteen years old, here is what I was dealing with before I started attending Community First High School. My story is one of anxiety and depression. I would skip days of school because of anxiety and then have depression about it later. Every year, I found myself in the counselor’s office, and about as often I was switching medication. Nothing seemed to work.  I was too groggy to want to do anything, off medication, or on medication but nothing seemed to help.  It was a hard time in my life and eventually, I was homeschooled. I was in and out of school for a few years until I finally became homeschooled once more. During this time I was finally diagnosed. After that, my mom found Community First High School and got me to enroll.

     I like Community First High School because it gives one an environment to grow and learn. This school provides a classroom in which you can interact with the teacher instead of being lectured without any visuals or notes to learn from.  The school is friendly and open and welcomes anyone who is willing and ready to work for their HiSet diploma.  The teachers are always eager to help someone that may not fully understand the subject being presented.  Every person is encouraging and helpful to guide you on your way to earning your HiSet diploma.  I am no longer dealing with anxiety and depression about going to school. Before, my mom used to have to wake me and drag me out of bed for me to go to school. I can remember feeling my anxiety level rise the moment my mom would turn on the street where my previous school was located. Now, I am excited about going to school and telling my mom that I am ready to go because I don’t want to be late for class.  I am glad to say that now, at sixteen years old; I will soon be graduating from Community First High School.

Gloria Chancellor

Age 16

Fall 2020 Graduate

Community First High School 

      My name is Yolanda Jenkins. I’m 42 years old. My one thing in life to do when I dropped out of school was to work hard and get my high school diploma. Although life threw me a lot of hardships and challenges, I was still determined to do just that.

     I was very happy when a friend of mine, Mrs. Linda, mentioned to me about Community First High School.  I immediately went the next day and signed up. Community First and Mr. Peters as well as the teachers welcomed me with open arms. He was motivating and I was determined to fulfill what I had been missing in my life which was my high school diploma or HiSet (High School Equivalency Test) diploma.

     Today I’m a new person with high goals and expectations of myself. I know I can reach any goal and accomplishments that I want through hard work, dedication, and determination. This school since I’ve been here has taught me respect and that I can be what I want to be, which is an entrepreneur and own my own business in sales or cosmetology.

Yolanda Jenkins

Community First High School

Minden

Student