Rebecca ContrerasPresident & CEO of AvantGarde LLC
Was featured in Champions of Adult Education, From Extraordinary Story to Champions for Our Cause.
The Power of Second Chances: How Adult Education Changed My Life
If there was ever a time in my life when I felt trapped in a cycle of despair, it was when I was 19 years old. I was a high school dropout, a single mother on welfare, and living in poverty with no clear path out. Deep down, I knew I wanted more for my daughter and for myself. That desire for change led me to a life-altering decision: I needed to go back to school and get my GED.
The journey wasn’t easy. Up until that point, my life had been filled with poor choices and destructive behaviors. I was caught in a cycle of poverty and addiction, much like my mother before me. But I knew that if I didn’t take action, I was dooming my daughter to the same fate. I had to break the cycle, and the first step was education.
I enrolled in a program in Austin, which was designed to help mothers like me get their GEDs and acquire basic job skills. The program was my lifeline—a way to finally take control of my future. Getting my GED was no walk in the park. Math had always been a struggle for me, and there were moments when I felt like giving up. But I was encouraged by my counselor to keep going, and that persistence paid off. Passing that math test and receiving my GED was one of the proudest moments of my life. It was the first step towards a better future, not just for me, but for my daughter as well.
Within weeks after getting my GED, I landed a temp job working for the iconic Ann Richards, who was the Treasurer of Texas, and within a few months, I was offered a permanent position as an HR Receptionist working for the State Treasury Department. But my journey didn’t end there. I started at the bottom and worked my way up, eventually becoming the HR Director for then-Governor George W. Bush in just six years.
Looking back, I realize that the GED program was more than just an educational opportunity—it was the catalyst for my transformation. For the first time, I had mentors who told me, “Becky, you are smart.” Those words were powerful because no one had ever said that to me before. They challenged me to think about what was possible if I applied myself and took control of my future.
Today, after a career where I worked for President George W. Bush in the White House and now as the CEO of a thriving 125+ employee consulting firm that I founded myself, I can trace all my accomplishments back to that first decision to pursue my GED. My journey is proof that it’s never too late to change your life through education. No matter where you start, with resilience, resolve, and grit, you can overcome any obstacle and achieve your dreams. My hope is that my story will inspire others to take that first step towards a better future, just as I did all those years ago.
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