Perry County Literacy Council (PCLC)

Student and Volunteer Success Stories

From a young age, Joe knew he wanted to work with automobiles; however, he had trouble seeing how school subjects like algebra pertained to his desired career path. "In high school I thought I was too cool to do my work and did not want to put in the effort to succeed," Joe remembers.
Throughout his high school career, Joe had trouble connecting with his teachers and getting the one-on-one attention he needed. He let his grades slip to the point where, near the
end of senior year, his school guidance counselor called him to his office. "He explained that if I had straight B's and
passed my final exams I would be able pass my senior year and walk at graduation," says Joe. "I did just what he said, I had high B's in every subject and passed my finals with no less than a C. Unfortunately, it was not good enough. I realized I made a grave error by taking my education for granted."Joe reached out to a friend who had gone through a similar experience. His friend informed him of the Perry County Literacy Council's GED® program and brought him to the PCLC offices. "I immediately felt as though everyone within the organization wanted to help me better myself," recalls Joe. "In the short time I was there I built a strong bond with my counselor and learned that hard work pays off. Needless to say, with the help of the amazing people in the Perry County Literacy Council I was able to pass all of my exams and move forward in life." In August 2014, Joe began schooling at the Universal Technical Institute in Exton,PA, where he had enrolled not long before graduating. During his time at UTI, Joe received honors-level grades and furthered his education by
enrolling in the Ford FACT Program, an elective program that offered 15 weeks of training as a Ford Motor Company technician. He graduated from UTI in December 2015 and found a job not long after with L.B. Smith Lincoln & Ford in Lemoyne, PA. The following March, Joe discovered the opportunity to work as a technician for the Pennsylvania State Police and has worked in this position ever since. "I am the hard working and successful person I am today because of the Perry County Literacy Council," Joe says. "They gave me the tools I needed to
have a career. Students like me need a little more help than the average person and are unable to receive it in the standard classroom. In today's society you need to have a high school diploma, or equivalency, to succeed. With [PCLC's] help I was given a second chance to have a
future. I could never thank them enough."