Lewiston Adult Education student tells how motivation, support helped him reach goal
Bryce Smith needed to earn his high school credential to hold onto his job at the Auburn-Lewiston Airport. He did it in two months. He took the HiSET exam to receive his high school credential and plans to attend the Lewiston Adult Education graduation ceremony at Lewiston High School.
“I didn’t think I could, but I put my mind to it and got it done somehow,” the 20-year-old said.
Airport Manager Richard Lanman praises Smith as a great addition to the workforce. “Very intelligent young man,” says Lanman. “He just needed a shove in the right direction.”
That push toward a high school credential came from Smith’s job description. It says that, within six months, employees must have their high school diploma or high school credential.
But Smith didn’t just do it for his job. He did it for his 11-month-old son, Connor. “I want him to be proud of me, along with everybody else,” he said.
Smith credits his fiancée, Ashley Warren, with helping to quiz him in between work and watching their son. The faith people had in him helped as well.
Laurie Champagne, coordinator of Lewiston’s Adult Learning Center, said she was very impressed with how he handled his toughest challenge. Smith came in to work with her on Fridays, his day off.
When Smith worked on a computer screen filled with text to read, the words seemed to swim around, so he taped a sheet of paper to the top and bottom of the screen to minimize what he had to look at.
“He was very motivated and also wanted to set a good example for his young son,” she said. Next, Smith plans to get his Class B license so he can use a dump truck at his job.
He has tips for people interested in going back to school to get their high school credential. “You can do it,” he said. “You can’t just have faith in someone else – you have to have faith in yourself also.”