Lula's Story: "It's really working for me"

Each morning, Lula would steel herself for what was to come.

“I guess I was just a little bit of an outcast,” she said. “I got teased and taunted for being different. It got to the point that I didn’t want to go to class any more because I didn’t want to go through that. It kind of hurt.”

Little by little, Lula began to fall behind in her studies. When she turned 18, she realized that she would have to be in school for nearly two more years in order to graduate. And the further behind she fell, the more she was teased.

“I didn’t want to do it any more,” she said. “So I dropped out.”
She was out of school for nearly a year.

Then, one day, Lula got a call from Hillsborough County Public Schools — one of 50 districts nationwide that offers students like her the opportunity to re-enroll in the NoDropouts graduation program.

“It’s really working for me,” Lula said. “I do my work at home – but even when I’m out of town and visiting family I can keep up with my work.”

During the holidays, when many other students were on vacation, Lula kept focused on her studies. “I was able to get a lot of work done,” she said. “And my instructors were there to help me out whenever I called them.”

Lula said some people in her family “think I’m crazy because of how much I study.”

But, she said, “they know I’ve got a goal — and they’re very proud of me.”

Do you know a Lula? We can help you help her. Call 855-NO-DROPOUTS or e-mail info@nodropouts.com