Success Story: James

Everyone has things that make it difficult to succeed in life. Read and hear about a man who is working on achieving his goals.

Listen to James' Success Story

Read James' Success Story

Hi! My name is James. I came to Minnesota from Chicago, Illinois about five years go. When I was a child, I was a good student and liked school. But as I got older, being with my friends became more important to me than school was. I started skipping school often. My mother didn't like it, but she was a single mom and worked a lot. Eventually I dropped out of school in 10th grade.

When I dropped out, I got a job working at a retail store. Since then, I have worked at other stores, too. I have very good people skills and like to help people find what they need. I like working in sales and liked my jobs, but I couldn't make more money because I didn't have a GED. After getting turned down for promotions at work, I decided to go back to school and get my GED.

By studying very hard, I finished my GED in two years. Because I got my GED, I was able to be promoted to a supervisor at work. Then I applied to community college. I decided to work on an associate degree in business. I am working on my degree, but I would like to go eventually get a bachelor's degree in Business Management, or in Sales and Marketing.

I want to set a good example for my three children. It is important for them to see me focused on studying and working hard. I want them to understand how important education is for everyone, and how many doors a good education can open for you.