2021-Annual-Report-FINAL-Single-Pages - Flipbook - Page 47
Only 60 percent of Metro Nashville Public
Schools students actually enroll in higher
education, and only 24 percent complete
a degree within six years of high school
graduation. And most of these youth
aren’t accessing state scholarships due
to barriers including costs beyond tuition
such as books and testing fees, limited
transportation options, FAFSA
eligibility and difficulties navigating
complex systems.
Which is exactly where Sierra found
herself. But she was determined to find
a way.
“I don’t want to be one of
those people who continues
to say, ‘I’m going to go back’
and don’t go back. And then
I’m 40 and the only limited
education I have is me going
to high school and two or
three semesters of college.”
of our community—the social sector,
the criminal justice system, the political
landscape and so much more.
Sierra’s passion and wisdom struck a
chord with a leader at HCA Healthcare.
After one particular panel discussion,
they started chatting about employment
opportunities within the company. She
landed an interview and then a part-time
position as a patient access concierge,
where she facilitates check-in for sameday surgery patients, escorts them to
their destination and makes sure they feel
comfortable and informed.
“I have great people skills and I need to
interact with people every day. I enjoy
customer service and helping people
solve problems,” she says.
Growing in her part-time position now
gives her the time, the resources and the
confidence to one day go back to school
to continue her career.
She went back to Oasis to talk with her
counselor and try to better understand
why so many youth are struggling to
connect—and how she can help.
She started talking to groups at United
Way, laying out why so many youth are
disengaged, why they’ve fallen out of the
pipeline and how it’s up to all of us to
make sure young people aren’t slipping
through the cracks.
When young people fall behind and
become disconnected with the workforce
or education sector, it affects all corners
Read more stories at
unitedwaygreaternashville.org/
united-we-win.
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