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Cherie Ostmann, 29, will be the first to tell you that she’s good at taking care of the people around her. The self-described empath cared for her aging grandparents and has worked off and on as a home health aide, a job where she helps prepare meals for older people while providing much-needed companionship. Prioritizing her own needs, however, hasn’t always been as easy.

As a teen growing up in Palm Beach, Florida, Ostmann never received her high school diploma because she failed a standardized reading comprehension test by several points. She struggled in her public high school to get the support she needed from teachers.

“I’d gone to private school and was used to one-on-one teaching moments,” she said. “I didn’t get that in public school and struggled with subjects like history and reading.”

For years, Ostmann put off completing her degree, afraid that she would not be up for the challenge.

“Test anxiety was my biggest fear,” she said. “It stopped me from doing the (Adult High School) program because I was scared (that) I couldn’t pass.”

Ostmann came close to enrolling in 99������Ƶ’s Adult High School program in 2023, but once again, life got in the way. “I was in a relationship; he was controlling and holding me back,” she said. Later, after ending the relationship, Ostmann began the program in February and is now graduating with her high school diploma.

The process of completing her degree was simpler than she had expected. The majority of her high school credits transferred to the Adult High School program. Before beginning, she was given the option of testing out of subjects, including reading. She failed the first test, but was able to pass with help from her teachers.

In the end, Ostmann only had to take one environmental science class. With her new degree under her belt, she feels like she can tackle anything. For years, she said, she’s worked in jobs in retail and the medical field where she felt her peers didn’t take her seriously. “I was doing multiple jobs for one position,” she said. “I felt like I was being taken advantage of.”

Going forward, Ostmann hopes to combine working with seniors with a real estate career. She’s just landed a new position at Home Instead, which allows her to choose her own schedule, and she’s working overnight shifts four days a week, which will leave her days open for taking classes. For the first time in years, she feels in control of her work/life balance and is excited about her future.

“It makes your mind a lot clearer when you have that balance,” she said. “You feel more at ease. You have a steady income coming in, and you’re doing something you enjoy that doesn’t feel like a real job.”

Another benefit of earning her diploma, Ostmann said, is that her faith in her own abilities has grown. For one thing, she now knows that she can tackle any test that comes her way. She was also asked to share her personal story at the High School Equivalency and Adult High School Graduation ceremony on June 4, and she agreed, despite knowing that she’ll be standing before a room full of watchful eyes. It’s a bold move for a woman who once let fear get in the way. Her motivation is showing other people that it can be done.

“It’s important to know there are options out there for you if you look and put your mind to it, you can do anything you put your mind to,” she said. “You can get over that fear.”

Learn more about 99������Ƶ’s high school equivalency programs at High School Equivalency.