Case Study : ' Box ' 431 '

My mother worked four jobs at once to make financial ends meet, while always stressing the importance of education and financial independence to my brother and myself. My grandmother only achieved a second grade education due to the financial constraints on her family at a young age, but still in the end managed to make certain that of her children and grandchildren had what was needed to flourish and become successful, educated members of the community. The tenacity and history of these two women I still carry with me today. Their struggles have inspired to me to only want more from life, but also serve as a positive role model for the younger members of my community. I observed from other family members how an education can open a multitude of doors and opportunities. I want to make the biggest and most significant on my community and on my family as possible, and the only foreseeable path is to achieve a college education to gain the necessary skills, knowledge and connections needed to flourish and implement positive

Throughout my high school career, I had an obligation to help this family business to support my family financially. On weekends and majority of the weekdays, I spend my time aiding my parents while juggling numerous amounts of school work. Senior year proved to be the hardest, with five advancement placement classes that I take and while still helping out at the restaurant. Such environment that I was raised in, has shaped me to become a disciplined and responsible individual.

Because of my parent’s humble beginnings in the south and being ever so present during the Civil Rights era, education was very important in my household. My father would often say that education and knowledge could never be taken away from you once you have acquired it. He himself, only had a 3rd grade formal education but yet at the same time was a modern day math wizard. He was the second to the oldest out of eleven children so he chose to continually work the fields so that his younger siblings didn’t have to and they would have the opportunity to attend school during the day. My mother continually pursued higher education and received her Associates of Arts degree as an adult. Later in life, as a senior citizen she also attended South Suburban College in South Holland, Illinois and enrolled in a couple courses in Computer Training and

Finally as an adult I followed the footsteps of my father and went into the U.S Army. My brother took a more safe and mother approved career path and became a professional chief. Mom talks every day about my brother and his accomplishments about what new fabulous place he is working at now. Paul did the same for his father going into construction, a very physically demanding job and then starting his own business.

Fourteen years ago, I decided to come to Chicago and start a new life. Although I spoke English, it was somewhat limited, however, I was up to the challenge. I decided to continue my education here only about six years ago. First, I completed an Associates degree, then the Bachelors and now the MBA. Today, when it comes to my career, having an education have helped me significantly. I will soon be receving my promotion for hard work and dedication.

In August of 2007 I decide to further my education and attend classes at the University of Phoenix. I was in customer service as a bartender and waitress and have three children. I had my children young but knew I had the potential to improve the quality of my life and apply personal experience in my field of interest. Since personal experience was not enough, I knew I had to get the credentials to pay forward.

When the definition of education is looked up in the dictionary it comes out as “a degree, level, or kind of schooling”. While attending a university or obtaining a degree is largely viewed as being educated, there are many other ways to become educated rather than a degree with your name on it. Gerald Graff, and Mike Rose show their personal experience of being educated without a degree. Being educated is different for everybody, and regardless it’s the person’s personal experiences and lessons that lead them to thrive for an education in their own unique fashion. Mike Rose, professor at the UCLA Graduate School of Education and Information Studies, comes from a family of blue-collar workers.

“I began working part-time on a regular basis at the age of 13. After high school, I talked my way into a job as a runner at the Chicago Board of Trade. A runner is the person who runs all the buy and sell orders to the brokers in the pits. I have been successful in blue collar jobs, such as roofing and painting, as well as white collar jobs, such as being an account executive for a national mortgage lender. At the age of 21, I decided to attend college and later graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in telecommunications management. I am currently working on a master’s degree and am married with two children.”

After reviewing the Maryland Medical Manual, Box 9a and Box 33a is a required field. A recommendation would be moving forward to have the client to complete all boxes that are required by Medicaid to be completed in order to for reimbursement to be considered.

As an educator, Carolyn’s passion and determination stemmed from life experiences and was fueled by dedication to her family. Despite the hardship of having to drop out of school her junior year of high school to take on the resposibility of earning a living to support her family, Carolyn was persistent in obtaining an education. Through the GED program she was determined to receive her diploma while working two jobs as a teeneager. After the birth of her first child, she knew that she needed to further her education to become a role model for her daughter. The desire to provide a better life and become an inspiration is evident as she continued on receiving multiple degrees, all the while continuing to hold down a job, and reaching the zenith after obtaining her PhD in Educational Leadership.

I have made education an important part of my life, and I have always mentored those I have led to do the same. Throughout my life I have sought to be the best at everything I have attempted. In boyhood, I was a member of the Boy Scouts of America where I achieved the rank of Eagle Scout at the earliest age possible. By 18 years old, I was a co-owner of a business that grossed over $100,000 in its first year of operation and had 12 employees. While in college, I was a marketing consulting for an advertising firm; and, I was awarded as the top performer on several occasions.

His skilled laboring values influenced my father to work with his hands as a hobby, not as a vocation. My father seems to possess both the values of education and skilled work. On the other hand, my mother’s parents did not encourage higher education. My mother stated, “In the 1950’s and 60’s, women were not expected to attend college”. Although this was a strong value for society at that time, my mother encouraged education on her children. My mother’s talent in sewing and entrepreneurship from the family-owned hardware store influenced her to start a wedding apparel business.

In conclusion, I am daddy's little girl and proud of that. I could not of asked for a better father. My dad has always been there for me and I wil always be there for him. I respect my father because he deserves to be. He stayed and was a father and never took the easy way out like in the world today most fathers do. I believe my father is the best at everything he does. He has been through so much in his life and still is a happy wonderful man; I would have been sad and depressed if I had to go through hald as much as my father. Dad is strong and looks ahead not He still works hard everyday, at the age of 64 years old. I admire and respect my father for everything he has does and has done. I work hard at everything I do for the greatest reward at the end of all my accomplishments is making my father proud.

Without the support of my father and the drastic change in my life, I understood that the only way to improve my quality of life was to study and find the passion to which I was going to dedicate the rest of my life. After careful thought, I decided to move to the United States. Leaving my family, I came to this country in search of knowledge, contacts and “greater opportunities”. During these years, I have been confronted with many obstacles, but I have been able to resolve them thanks in part to my dedication. When it comes to achieving my goals, I find it in myself to push myself until that goal it met. I consider that there is no lack of opportunities for someone that believes in their capabilities and is aware that nothing comes without sacrifice, meaning that hard work and dedication are required in order to achieve goals.