Taylor Shakes never thought she’d make it to college. She dropped out of high school in Owen Sound. Now she’s working on her second college diploma and volunteering as a mentor to high school students at risk at Georgian College. It’s been quite a journey between those two points.
Social anxiety and some poor choices led Taylor to walk away from secondary school in the final days of grade 11. Fortunately that summer, she was connected to the Flex program on the Owen Sound campus of Georgian College, a school within a college shared by the Bluewater and Bruce Grey Catholic school boards. She attended for two semesters and graduated along with her classmates the following June.
“I know I wouldn’t be at college or have finished high school without Flex. It allowed me to continue, to succeed” she says. “The thought of going back to a crowded high school was too much. But being in a class with 20 students—we became best friends.”
Taylor gives much of the credit for her success to the understanding and support provided by her secondary teacher, Patti McComb, and her dual credit faculty member Susi Schmidt. Attending three days a week with classes starting at 10 am really helped her.
After finishing high school, Taylor took started the Esthetician program at Georgian College, but decided that was more of a hobby than a career for her. She worked in a spa for a while, then returned to Georgian for the Personal Support Worker program. However, when she finished that diploma, she was looking for more. She is currently enrolled in the Recreation and Leisure program at Georgian, and will fast track through in three semesters.
In the meantime, she stepped forward for a project at Georgian College called Prospecting Success. High school students who are at risk of dropping out are matched with a college student mentor for three days on campus where they attend classes, tour the campus and take career workshops. The goal is to inspire the secondary students to stay in school.
“It is great to know that you could help other people,” says Taylor with a big smile. “Sometimes kids don’t realize that you can have a second chance. I am excited to be a mentor, I was telling my mom all about it on the weekend.”
Taylor has just landed a part time job as a PSW in a retirement home, which may lead to her goal of helping seniors stay active. Although she will confess that is only her current plan.
