Brittney always wanted to get her high school diploma, but an unexpected pregnancy put her graduation plans on pause.

“I got pregnant at 16 and just didn’t want to go to school pregnant and have the other kids talk about me,” Brittney said. “I really had no choice but to drop out.”

Over the next decade, Brittney struggled to find good jobs because she didn’t have her diploma, but she was determined to find a path to graduation.

“I wanted to go back to school. I tried to get my GED, but I didn’t want to get my GED — I wanted to get my diploma,” Brittney said. “So I was happy when Graduation Alliance came up on my local news channel.”

Brittney excelled in her courses through Graduation Alliance and finished her diploma program with straight As. Now, she plans to continue her education at Washburn University.

“I’ve already enrolled in college, and I’ll be going to Washburn for a degree in criminal justice,” Brittney said. “I want to be a police officer and work my way up to being an investigator.”

Since her graduation in February of 2021, Brittney already has some better job prospects and is looking forward to a career that will allow her to better provide for her two children.

“I know I’m not going to feel bad for myself now that I’ve got my diploma,” Brittney said. “I’ll get a better job with more pay. It’s not going to be as hard now.”

After 15 years, Brittney finally earned her high school diploma, and she hopes her story will encourage other people in similar situations.

“Keep at it — It’s not going to take forever,” Brittney said. “It just feels really great when it’s done. I cried when I got my diploma in the mail!”