Nationwide — Nashonda Excessive, an African American single mom from Macon, Georgia, earned her GED after borrowing a Chromebook from the Washington Memorial Library every week for a 12 months.
Excessive started visiting the library frequently in February 2024, utilizing the borrowed laptop computer to review. After months of dedication, she handed her GED exams in December 2024.
“With the assistance of that Chromebook, it has actually opened. It actually inspired me, like I used to be on the go,” she mentioned. “After I did are available right here, it’s extra like a house away from house. I at all times felt welcome right here.”
Her motivation got here from her 4 kids, who continually inspired her. She recalled, “My son, he would say, ‘Mama maintain attempting.’ My daughter, she would encourage me. It simply feels good that I had my very own little circle that noticed me as their mom. Not solely as a mom, however as an educator, as any person attempting to pursue one thing, any person attempting to get someplace. And for them to push me once I felt weak, it’s wonderful.”
The Center Georgia Regional Library celebrated her success on Facebook, congratulating her for incomes her GED. Megan Vaughn, Head of Reference on the library, highlighted the affect of their laptop computer lending program, launched after the pandemic with funding from a Georgia Public Library Service grant.
Now that Excessive has reached her aim, she hopes to develop into a licensed nursing assistant and assist others the best way the library helped her.
“This has actually been a journey,” Excessive mentioned. “It’s emotional. It’s the one factor I may say. I’m on the rise, and for these struggling to pursue a aim or get their GED like me, or attempting to pursue one thing, no matter you’re attempting to pursue in life, simply know that you are able to do it.”
