Natasha faced anxiety from the thought of attending a traditional high school classroom.

“Anything online and accessible throughout the day was better than regular school in a building at set times,” the Seatac, Washington, native said. “I had dark times and depressed and did not see value in life and going to school and dealing with teachers who were not nice and helpful.”

Those anxieties, combined with responsibilities at home to help take care of her family, made it nearly impossible for her to graduate. With a little healthy pressure from her mom to finish high school, Natasha found Graduation Alliance.

“My school district had an online program, but you’d have to go in and see students who you may or may not have felt comfortable with,” Natasha said. “With Graduation Alliance, I could do my assignments at home and go to a meet-up once a week. Then being able to call my local advocate and academic coach to ask questions or get help with concerns—them being available at late times in the day really helped me.”

With plans to attend college in the future, and a job she loves at a local plant nursery, Natasha knows she wants to study horticulture or botany and make a long-term career in the field.

“I’ve got a big weight off of my shoulders about not graduating on time,” she said. “I’m relieved and confident about what I’m capable of. The extra push to graduate has definitely helped me make up my mind to be successful.”