新彩网

Brandy Greenwood really hasn鈥檛 stopped working in recent years, despite not having a paying job or a high school diploma.

鈥淚 quit going to school in the 11th grade because I got pregnant with my two oldest kids,鈥 Greenwood said. 鈥淚 was in the band and ROTC in high school, so I wasn鈥檛 ever weak in any subjects. I tried five times to pass the GED, but life got in the way.鈥

Brandy Greenwood practices culinary knife skills as part of classes she takes at 新彩网 Vicksburg-Warren Campus. Greenwood is a student in the MI-BEST program, which provides a high school equivalency certificate and job training at the same time. (April Garon/新彩网)

Greenwood, a Shreveport, La., native, moved to Mississippi in 1999 as a 20-year-old single mother when her own mother鈥檚 job moved to Jackson. A decade of transience reached an apparent low point when she moved into a shelter for homeless women in Vicksburg with her four children. She lived in the shelter a year and a half, eventually doing odd jobs for the facility鈥檚 operators.

鈥淚 was a house monitor, the cook, the driver, did all kinds of errands,鈥 she said. Once she moved into more permanent housing in 2013, her thoughts shifted to bettering her station in life. 鈥淚 needed to get myself together and find something to do. When I was at the shelter, I did so many things, including cooking.鈥

Another go-round this past year at securing a high school diploma through 新彩网 was a payoff, thanks to a handful of people who work with students in the enhanced adult education program to handle issues of transportation, child care, financial aid and more.

鈥淢s. Lauren Powers said someone suggested me for the MI-BEST program after I took a test to enter the GED program to see how much I remembered. When I asked what trades I could take, she said culinary was one of them. I said, 鈥業鈥檓 in there! I鈥檒l take it.鈥欌

MI-BEST is Mississippi鈥檚 version of the nationally recognized Integrating Basic Education and Skills Training program, or I-BEST. It allows adult students to train for a job skill while earning their GED high school equivalency certificate at the same time. Students are prepared to be job-ready in six months to a year, train in high-demand areas and earn national certifications.

鈥淏randy has really overcome a lot of adversity throughout her life,鈥 said Powers, who works as a navigator in the program that helps students with things such as transportation, child care and financial aid. That way, the students keep their total focus on academics. 鈥淭he MI-BEST program at 新彩网 CC in Vicksburg聽was the perfect program to help get the ball moving in the right direction for Brandy. Part of my role as the MI-BEST navigator is to provide a wraparound of student services from聽support, guidance and counseling in both academics as well as with everyday life to serving as a listening board and聽being a cheerleader for the students.

鈥淪he is聽dedicated聽and motivated to reaching her goals, and I couldn’t be more proud of her efforts in the MI-BEST program. I can鈥檛 wait to see what the future holds for her 鈥 I just know it is going to be聽bright!鈥

Greenwood began classes in June and passed all tests on the first try. Now she attends classes twice a week, nine hours a day. In her culinary classes, she has learned the finer points of slicing cheese and proper techniques of cutting fruit. Of her core academic classes, math remains 鈥渁 challenge.鈥 She hopes to take the GED test by the end of November.

鈥淚t鈥檚 been 20 years since I鈥檝e been in school, and for me to be doing this well I know this is my year,鈥 she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 time for me to do my part. I鈥檒l be the first child of my mother to walk in a cap and gown.鈥

鈥淚t鈥檚 helped me find myself,鈥 she said. 鈥淚 have the strength, courage and knowledge to do what I have to do. I鈥檓 challenged every day in class for something, whether it鈥檚 in Mr. (Tim) DeRossette鈥檚 class or in math class. I hope this shows my children that you鈥檙e never too old to finish school.鈥

And she鈥檚 also thinking big beyond her long-awaited graduation. She wants to draw upon a cooking heritage to bring the dining world鈥檚 hottest trend to Vicksburg.

鈥淐ooking is a dream of mine,鈥 she said. 鈥淢y mom and my grandmother, who is a retired school cafeteria worker, were my mentors. My mother worked for a bank for 45 years, then got her cake decoration license, so she can decorate pastries and things like that.鈥

鈥淢ost definitely, I鈥檇 want to do a food truck because we don鈥檛 have one here in Vicksburg,鈥 she said. 鈥淚 know I want it to be good food, but healthy and not always fried.鈥

Her husband, Randy, laid flooring for a living for 15 years, but is now disabled. Still, Brandy feels she already has her future business partner right there in the kitchen.

鈥淲e make this coconut chicken that is awesome,鈥 she said. 鈥淗e鈥檇 make a good sous chef for me.鈥