Meet Carlin. She graduated from Placer High School and worked part-time in the food service industry. She saw little opportunity for growth or advancement and decided to ask Golden Sierra for help.

At first, Carlin had no interest in college nor did she have any long-term career goals. Her counselor administered a number of career and personality assessments to help determine how her interests, values, and skills related to future employment opportunities.

Having struggled with many subjects in high school, the only class time she truly enjoyed was working as a Teacher’s Assistant for students with disabilities. After completing an online course titled, “Empowering Students with Disabilities” and getting her CPR certification, Carlin participated in a 19-week paid internship at Rock Creek Elementary. She flourished at Rock Creek; the staff and students loved her. She found her passion. After the internship, Carlin applied for a job at Auburn Recreation District. She is currently employed as a Program Aid for the before-and-after-school Discovery Club.

That’s not all. Now Carlin wants to get her Child Development Associate Teacher permit from Sierra College! Carlin remarked that she never thought she would continue her education beyond high school and that working with Golden Sierra has “helped her to see that she can be more and do more than she imagined.”