Unknowingly at the time, Antonio Malveaux gave himself the best birthday present in 2018. Around his 18th birthday, he visited our Opelousas Job Connection site to inquire about the HiSET preparation course. He decided to enroll, setting himself up for his future career path.
Within a few months of being in the program, Antonio completed 4 of the 5 portions of the HiSET. The Writing section was the only test that stood in his way of obtaining a high school equivalency certificate. However, completing his HiSET was put on hold when he started working as a boilermaker tech in 2019 and moved to St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands.
From 2019-2020, Antonio lived in several different places in the U.S. He lived in Indiana and Illinois before eventually ending up in Lake Charles, LA. Despite living in different cities around the country, Antonio kept in touch with his HiSET instructor, Janet. She would check in with him every month via text, reminding him to complete the final portion of the exam. While Antonio was in Indiana, Janet assisted him in finally scheduling the last section of the HiSET. Unfortunately, Antonio’s work schedule conflicted with the exam times, so he was forced to cancel the test.
Antonio eventually made his way back to Opelousas. When Janet found out he had returned, she texted him a monthly message that read “Antonio, GO TAKE THE TEST.” He agreed to take the Writing portion, and was finally able to go through with it. Antonio passed on the first attempt and would finally receive his high school diploma!
Janet knew from the moment she met Antonio that he was a bright young man with much potential. She also knew that passing the HiSET would make a huge difference in his life. This is why she never gave up on him and would text him monthly to remind him to schedule the last test. He jokingly refers to Janet “harassing” him with her texts, but he knows that all along she was encouraging him to reach his full potential. Janet and Antonio shared an emotional reunion, when they saw each other in personal for the first time since he left. He thanked her for never giving up on him.
Antonio plans to enroll at Universal Technical Institute (UTI), in Austin Texas. He has dreamed about this goal for a long time. Thanks to a teacher who never gave up on him, Antonio is on the path to a successful career.