2008 Woodie Awards
LVN Graduates Now Have Chance At Brighter Future
Nursing students to graduate, receive certificate to take license exam
John Braddock
Issue date: 8/25/04 Section: LIFE
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A journey that began in 2000 when she started studying for her GED, is near completion for Laura E. Medina. The 32 year-old Azusa resident graduates Friday from the Licensed Vocational Nurses Program at Citrus College.
"This has been so hard," Medina said. "I was a really, really bad student in high school. I never imagined that I could come back and do something like this."
Her story isn't something that hasn't been heard before but it is so inspiring it deserves repeating.
At 16 years old Medina became pregnant with her first child and was forced to drop out of high school. When she married at 17, she put aside any notion of obtaining a diploma.
Now the mother of three children, Medina said her husband's paycheck does not stretch as far as it used to.
"Once I had my kids, I suddenly saw how difficult it was," she said. "There was no way that my family could survive on just what my husband was making. I knew then that I had to try and do something to help him out."
So Medina began her quest four years ago to become an essential earner for her family. Obtaining her GED in 2002, she immediately enrolled in the two-year LVN program at Citrus College.
"I've always had a dream of being a nurse," she said. "I have two sisters who are RNs. They were the ones who told me about what an LVN is. I just didn't think I would be able to take the time to go school so long."
The LVN commencement scheduled for 6 p.m. Friday in the Student Center will mark the successful completion of a grueling 51-unit course, earning Medina and the other 59 students, a certificate qualifying them to take a state board examination for licensure.
"This is a miracle," Medina said, her voice thick with emotion. "I never thought I was going to do anything in my life. If it wasn't for my family and the grace of God, I never would have finished this."
With a passing grade on the exam, an LVN is qualified to work all over the world in a variety of venues ranging from amusement parks to cruise ships, from summer camps to film studios - that is, in any industry which employees nurses, said Marilyn Collins, director of health occupations.
"This has been so hard," Medina said. "I was a really, really bad student in high school. I never imagined that I could come back and do something like this."
Her story isn't something that hasn't been heard before but it is so inspiring it deserves repeating.
At 16 years old Medina became pregnant with her first child and was forced to drop out of high school. When she married at 17, she put aside any notion of obtaining a diploma.
Now the mother of three children, Medina said her husband's paycheck does not stretch as far as it used to.
"Once I had my kids, I suddenly saw how difficult it was," she said. "There was no way that my family could survive on just what my husband was making. I knew then that I had to try and do something to help him out."
So Medina began her quest four years ago to become an essential earner for her family. Obtaining her GED in 2002, she immediately enrolled in the two-year LVN program at Citrus College.
"I've always had a dream of being a nurse," she said. "I have two sisters who are RNs. They were the ones who told me about what an LVN is. I just didn't think I would be able to take the time to go school so long."
The LVN commencement scheduled for 6 p.m. Friday in the Student Center will mark the successful completion of a grueling 51-unit course, earning Medina and the other 59 students, a certificate qualifying them to take a state board examination for licensure.
"This is a miracle," Medina said, her voice thick with emotion. "I never thought I was going to do anything in my life. If it wasn't for my family and the grace of God, I never would have finished this."
With a passing grade on the exam, an LVN is qualified to work all over the world in a variety of venues ranging from amusement parks to cruise ships, from summer camps to film studios - that is, in any industry which employees nurses, said Marilyn Collins, director of health occupations.