TEEN-AGE MOM INSPIRED TO ACHIEVE FOR HER FAMILY.Byline: Douglas Clark
Douglas Clark (born 1942) is an English poet. Clark was born in Darlington, County Durham, England, to Scottish parents in 1942. Daily News Staff Writer Sometimes it takes a great teacher to awaken the achiever in an indifferent student. For Tiffany Allegro (operating system) Allegro - The code name for the major Mac OS release due in mid-1998. http://devworld.apple.com/mkt/informed/appledirections/mar97/roadmap.html. , that teacher was a baby boy. Allegro, who will graduate from Apollo High School Apollo High School could refer to any of the following educational institutions in the United States:
But her life and attitude changed drastically when, at 16, she discovered she was pregnant. ``My son opened my eyes,'' said Allegro, 18. ``He made me realize I had to work hard. If I didn't have him, I don't know Don't know (DK, DKed) "Don't know the trade." A Street expression used whenever one party lacks knowledge of a trade or receives conflicting instructions from the other party. where I'd be.'' After realizing she was pregnant, Allegro transferred from Simi Valley High School Simi Valley High School is a secondary school located in Simi Valley, California which was established in 1920 as the first high school in the valley. It nestles in the Santa Susana Mountains and is adjacent to the San Fernando Valley, part of the city and county of Ventura. to Apollo High, a continuation school continuation school: see vocational education. that offers a parenting program. Until Erick began to walk, Allegro brought her son to school with her. Erick now attends day care when Allegro is in school, though her family continues to help raise the child. If Erick changed her attitude about school, Allegro credits the teachers and counselors at Apollo for helping her realize her potential. ``When I came here, I realized I could accomplish anything. The people here have had such a positive influence on my life,'' she said. Even when Allegro missed two months of school after giving birth, the Apollo staff kept her involved in her studies by sending work home. But it was Allegro who applied herself and refused to give up. Allegro's hard work paid off last month when she was awarded one of four $750 scholarships offered by the Simi Valley Simi Valley (sē`mē, sĭm`ē), city (1990 pop. 100,217), Ventura co., SW Calif. in an oil, fruit, and farm region; laid out 1887, inc. 1969. Women's Club Women’s clubs first arose in the United States during the post-civil war period. As a result of increased leisure time due to modern household advances, middle class women had more time to engage in intellectual pursuits. . She said she'll put that money toward a 10-month medical assistant course she'll begin in the fall, either at Bryman College Bryman College is a system of for-profit colleges in the United States. It is oriented towards being a career college, with classes in the health care and business fields. Bryman College became Everest College in April 2007. The schools are owned by Corinthian Colleges, Inc. or the Simi Adult School and Career Institute. Allegro said she plans to work as a medical assistant until 16-month-old Erick is old enough to go to kindergarten. At that time, she intends to go back to school herself and become a registered nurse. ``In the medical field, you can always go higher. But, for now, this course is perfect for me,'' she said. While the academic achievements are a source of pride, Allegro said her family is ``the way I keep myself sane.'' ``If it wasn't for my mom, I couldn't do it,'' she said, adding her father Michael has developed a close relationship with her son, and her sister Sara, 15, often baby-sits. Her mother, Jacqueline, recalls the shock of learning her eldest daughter was pregnant. But she also remembers the transformation that occurred in Tiffany when she transferred from Simi Valley High School to Apollo. ``She didn't want to go to Simi. She had problems with grades and attendance,'' Jacqueline said. ``But she went to Apollo and made a complete U-turn.'' Jacqueline is so impressed with the guidance Tiffany received at Apollo that she has enrolled Sara there. ``I began seeing similar problems with Sara, so I changed schools. At Apollo, if you have a problem, you have someone to talk to. There's attention. They care,'' she said. Tiffany Allegro said the community generally has the wrong impression of Apollo. ``A lot of people see Apollo as a screw-up school, a place for bad kids. But that's not Apollo. Some personalities just don't learn well in a regular high school. You don't get the personal attention. My teachers at Apollo came to my baby shower A baby shower is a party in which expectant parents receive gifts for their expected or born child. By convention, a baby shower is intended to help parents get items that they need for their baby, such as baby clothes. ,'' she said. CAPTION(S): Photo Photo: Tiffany Allegro, 18, of Apollo High School won a $750 Simi Valley Women's Club scholarship to further her medical assistant training. Joe Binoya/Special to the Daily News |
|
||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion