I AM SO HAPPY TO BE BACK IN SCHOOL

BY: JERI-ANN HARNOIS

OCTOBER 27, 2003.

I was born in Holyoke, Massachusetts on December Fourteenth, 1952. I have one sister and two brothers. When we were very young our mother died of cancer. Then we went to live with our grandfather and grandmother because our father was sick himself with cancer.

When I was sixteen I thought that I knew everything so I quit school and started working. I hardly used my math at most of my jobs.

I met my husband in 1989 when we were working at Rexcel Packaging Corp. then situated in Ludlow. We went out together for three years before we then decided to get married in 1992.

In 1996, we moved to Easthampton in Massachusetts and bought a very nice two family home. I now work out of my home where I have a Daycare. I just love working with the kids. From being with the kids, I knew that I really needed to go back to school to learn as much as I could so that I could help them learn more because when they leave my Daycare and go to school it would be easier for them.

If I had stayed in school, I guess I wouldn’t have had to come back to an Adult Education Center now. However, I am glad I have this second chance and I am putting in all my efforts and getting the results I want. My Daycare kids are also gaining maximally from my learning experiences.

I like my present Adult Education School because of my teacher, volunteers, and students. We are like a family. We all try to help whoever needs help. I am so happy to be here at the Northampton Site of The Literacy Project.