The Illinois State Library has been profiling this year’s winners of Spotlight on Achievement awards for outstanding literacy students. This week they honor Teresa Wallace, Southwestern Illinois College-Cahokia Even Start, in Cahokia.

In the 11th grade, Teresa left school when she was told she would never make it because of her learning disability. Like so many others, she had her first child plus four more in the next four years. Then, as a teen mother with low reading skills, she entered the family literacy program at Southwestern Illinois College. As her reading skills improved, she enrolled in Certified Nursing Assistant classes and earned her license. The CNA certification enabled her to be employed , to support her family and to remain off public assistance.

However, something was still missing. She wanted her GED. So she attended GED classes at the Goodwill Career Center in Cahokia and received lots of encouragement from the Even Start staff to achieve her goal. After working all day in the nursing home, she attended class two evenings a week. Although her hours were long and she had responsibilities at home, she had perfect attendance.

She praises her teacher, Mark St. Ivaney, who taught her, who stuck with her and who answered her questions. She received her GED last year. Now she is excited to be in the nursing program at SWIC. Her message to everyone “Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t do it. You can do whatever you want to do in life. It’s your decision.”