Little Rock – A victim of constant bullying and discrimination, Tisouli Acosta was just six months shy of her 18th birthday when she dropped out of high school. After years of false starts, Acosta found a home at UA-Pulaski Tech Adult Education Center where she finished her required GED® coursework, passed the GED® exam and received her Arkansas High School Diploma in December.
“I grew up in a broken family,” Acosta said. “My grandparents were Mexican, so I was picked on for that. My family was very poor. My Mom worked multiple jobs to keep food on the table. We lived off of welfare at times, and we lived in a trailer. All of those things made me an easy target for the other kids.”
When it became unbearable, she left school without telling her mother, who eventually found out six months later. Acosta’s mother was crushed, so much so, that their relationship turned volatile, and Acosta left home. Being near her 18th birthday, Acosta’s mother was powerless to force her to return to school. She spent months hopping from one friend’s house to another while she searched for jobs. While filling out job applications, she was always asked if she had a high school diploma. This was her first inclination she’d eventually have to earn her diploma. After many months, she decided to include that she had indeed graduated on her applications.
“For the most part, they don’t check,” she said. “I hated to lie, but I was desperate for a job. There wasn’t anything in the jobs I was applying for that I couldn’t do with training. It wasn’t until I started looking for better jobs that it became an issue. I wanted to follow in my brothers’ footsteps and start doing auto body work, so I started in the office and asked to be trained. They said I’d have to go to technical school to get certified. So, that’s what I did, but they required evidence I had graduated. That’s when I lost my job.”
When her employer found out she had lied on her applications, she was fired. Acosta, now 34, found herself in the North Little Rock Adult Education Center on the campus of UA-Pulaski Tech, where she met an inspiring teacher and found a program that works with her and her ten-year-old daughter’s schedules.
“This was the first time someone actually talked to me to find out what my goals were,” she said. “They told me about everything they offer and what is also offered on the campus for students in my position. So, I started GED® prep classes the next Monday.”
Acosta received her Arkansas high school diploma in December and has plans to attend ASU-Beebe to receive a certificate in Auto Body and Collision Repair Technology.
“For the first time, I’m in control of my future,” she said. “I’ve accomplished a lot in a little time. Everything happens for a reason, and we have to trust the journey. I’m excited for the next phase of life, and I’m glad I can show my daughter that you can do anything you put your mind to. I wouldn’t be where I’m at now without Adult Education.”
Acosta gave a passionate testimonial during the 3rd Annual Adult Education Statewide Open House. During this one day event, more than 1000 Arkansans, like Tisouli, visited 35 Adult Education Centers across the state to learn about the services they offer. In Arkansas, there are more than 400,000 adults who do not have a high school diploma. Adult Education strives to lower this number and the unemployment rate by offering classes and services in the following:
- Adult Basic Education
- Adult Secondary Education
- Correctional Education
- English Language Acquisition (ELA)
- Family Literacy
- GED® Testing Services
- Workforce Alliance for Growth in the Economy (WAGETM) Certification
- Workplace Education
Adults can enroll in free programs by calling 1.877.963.4GED (4433) or visiting a local Adult Education Center.
About Arkansas Adult Education
Arkansas Adult Education, a division of the Arkansas Department of Workforce Services prepares a job-ready, career-bound workforce to meet the needs of Arkansas employers. Adult Education oversees 34 adult education programs and 2 literacy councils, providing services to all 75 counties of the state. For more information about Adult Education, including locations and contact information for adult education programs around the state, please visit ARCareerEd.org.