Lily likes learning, but the traditional school environment wasn’t for her; she enjoys being more independent and hands-on. She felt discouraged by not graduating high school after seeing her younger brothers with their diplomas. As a young mom, she wanted to show her son a good example of education as well. She decided to go for the GED®.
Lily reflected on her high school experience: “I’m more of a self-teaching kind of person. Take math for example…I was in trigonometry when I left. In class I’d go through the book and do everything myself because it just didn’t click for me when someone tried to teach everybody instead of one person. My learning style is more one-on-one and hands-on.”
While working at Pizza Hut, Lily was happily surprised to find out about GEDWorks™ through a pop-up in the clock-in system. She signed up right away, glad to get her high school credential at no cost. The flexibility and 24/7 availability of the program really helped Lily balance work, studying, and family responsibilities. She prepared for each subject and took practice tests early in the morning or late in the evening. With 12-hour shifts at work, it wasn’t always easy, but she stuck with it.
Being able to test online was very helpful. She needed to carve out more time on test days, so her family was there to help. Lily’s team at work was amazing. Her boss, who is also the area coach, encouraged her to do well ever since she signed up for GEDWorks. As a team leader herself, she set a great example for other employees; they cheered her on throughout the GED journey. The team at Pizza Hut is like family to Lily; their support made a huge difference.
When Lily passed the GED, Human Resources reached out to her with a congratulatory email. It felt great to know that everyone around her was as excited as she was. Lily’s husband threw a graduation party to celebrate. She was proud to hold up her diploma!
Lily’s advice to fellow GEDWorks students: “The program definitely helps and provides a new perspective. Some people feel like they failed because they didn’t graduate high school, but it’s not that; we all have our reasons. With your employer covering GED costs, you just have to go out there and do it — you’ll feel better about yourself.”