Andrea graduated from Pathways Lawrence Heights in 2022. She is studying Special Events Planning at George Brown College, where she hopes to manage trade shows and live events. In her spare time, she volunteers at Pathways Canada as an Alumni Ambassador.
Growing up, Andrea took on many responsibilities at home. Being raised by a single mother who worked long hours, she was the designated caretaker of her younger sister and took charge of the household duties. On top of that, her family was always focused on paying bills, so they didn’t have time to enforce the importance of going to school. “My parents didn’t graduate from high school. They also didn’t really value school, so for a long time, neither did I.”
That was until she received a flyer from Pathways Lawrence Heights in her mailbox. After learning more about the program and what it offers, Andrea decided to join. Her first impression of the Pathways office was the warm and welcoming atmosphere. “I noticed they had a lot of resources, which was great. And I appreciated how they always had their doors open for students to sit down and talk to them.”
High school wasn’t the easiest time for Andrea. She went to an affluent school an hour away from her neighbourhood, and while she did well in school, it was often hard for her to relate to other students due to her upbringing and circumstances. “I had to drop my sister off at daycare every day while my mom worked early morning shifts, and I’d often miss school, which created problems,” she explained.
Luckily, Andrea was able to turn to her Pathways mentor during times of need. “It’s really easy to feel like nobody understands you. You feel alone because you’re in school with people different from you. But having those mentorship sessions showed me that I have someone in my corner who believes in me.”
After being in the program for some time, the idea of graduating from high school started feeling more like a reality for Andrea. “The staff made me care more about my education. What helped was having someone there who held us accountable for our schoolwork and kept us motivated!” She also participated in several workshops that she found helpful, such as resume-building, project management, and employment rights.
The day Andrea walked across the stage and graduated from high school was freeing for her. “I felt like I could finally get my life started!” She decided to take a gap year to focus on working full-time and continuing to support herself and her family. “My family sacrificed so much to provide for us financially, and I know how much they need me, so I want to give back to them while also saving money for school.”
Today, Andrea is studying Special Events Planning at George Brown College, hoping to pursue special events planning for trade shows and live events. “I truly believe knowledge is power—having a post-secondary education is valuable and opens up so many opportunities. I also thought it made sense for me to pursue Event Planning because of how fast-paced it is, plus I’m really good at managing projects and interacting with people from all walks of life,” she shares.
Reflecting on her post-secondary journey so far, Andrea remains thankful to Pathways for opening doors of possibility for her. “I didn’t know a career in hospitality was even possible. Coming from my circumstances, I was hesitant to go to school for something I liked and not something that guaranteed a return on investment.”
Andrea continues to stay connected with Pathways and recently took on the role of an Alumni Ambassador representing Lawrence Heights. She’s looking forward to connecting with other Alumni Ambassadors across the country. “Without Pathways, I probably would’ve never graduated high school. So, I want to be there and support future students and alumni in my community. And I want them to know that their happiness is important—Pathways will support them in pursuing their passions, whether that’s athletics, arts, hospitality, or anything else they’re interested in.”