The story of a single mom, a dream & The Circus.
Atlanta, GA:
Guest blogger this month is alumna, Rachael Green, who is now an interactive developer with the Atlanta agency, Think Interactive.
I made Hanson fan sites in middle school. I guess my history starts there. Instead of being social, I taught myself HTML. As with growing up, my attention was diverted to other avenues and I stopped coding. After high school, I went to a local college then transferred to Georgia State. A year there and I found myself back home with my parents. I was lost and couldn’t figure out what I wanted to be when I “grew up”. I also found myself landing the role of Single Mom. I tried nursing school, teaching preschoolers, being a pharmacy technician but the only thing I knew I really enjoyed was coding websites. I also knew I wanted to make something of myself for my son.
I knew about The Creative Circus from my high school days but had completely forgotten about it until a friend from high school started posting about it on social media. She graduated, gotten a job and seemed to think highly of the school. I decided to call the school. Naturally, I wasn’t sure I would be able to attend. Who would watch my child? – I lived 2 hours away. How could I afford it? After that phone call with Kathryn, my admission rep, I knew I had to make it happen. She told me to give the Circus one year. In that time, she was sure I’d be well on my way to getting a job. And so my journey began. With the help of my supportive family, I would drive to Atlanta from Warner Robins on Mondays, sleep on friend’s sofas during the week, and go back to Warner Robins on Thursdays. I worked Friday thru Sunday. It was tough! Sometimes the homework load would be 40 hours a week! I missed out on my son’s kindergarten year, I put a million miles on my car, and I gained WAY too much weight by eating fast food on the road… but I also landed a job.
The Creative Circus changed my life. I was able to move my son and I to Atlanta and really be self-sufficient. Sure, I missed his kindergarten year but what I taught him by finishing school will be worth more. As of two weeks ago, I’m now teaching Web Development 2 at the Circus. There’s nothing better than feeling as though you’re giving back by helping others who are maybe in the same position I was in not so long ago. I feel I’ve come full circle. After so many years of being unsure, I made a promise to myself that I’d have a career by age 30. I turned 30 in December. I definitely achieved that goal and so much more.
-Rachael