Susan McGrath

After dropping out of school in Grade 8 to become a full-time mother, Susan McGrath focused on being a good parent. She married the love of her life and they had three more children. Although Susan had the life that she always wanted, something was still left unfinished. It was her dream to finish high school and to be the first one in her family to graduate.

After 20 years of motherhood, Susan was scared to return to learning – scared of failure and how she would face her children if she did indeed fail. When anyone is out of school for any length of time going back is a big decision. With the support of her family and friends, Susan took the leap and enrolled in our CLI program while still being a full-time mom and working an almost full-time job.

Encouraged by the RCLN staff, Susan wrote her GED and, after waiting anxiously for weeks, in June of 2000, she received her results. Her dream had come true; she held in her hands proof that she had met her goal. Diploma in hand, Susan now had a whole new list of options. She went on to graduate from the Continuing Care program at the NSCC Strait Area Campus in 2005, receiving both the Student Leadership Award and the RCLN’s Adult Learner Award. Susan is now employed full-time with the Richmond County Homemakers. With her salary, she was able to support the education of her children, an example of how one program success can impact multiple generations. The little baby girl whom she quit school for has now graduated from university and is a registered nurse. And the guy she fell crazy in love with at the age of 13 is still the love of her life after 30+ years of marriage.

Susan continues to be a strong advocate for literacy, sitting on our Board of Directors as the Adult Learner Representative and as the representative for her municipal district.