Rebecca Gonzales
Prescott Valley, AZ
Rebecca is a teacher at Grannie's House in Prescott Valley, which is a five star home program. Rebecca is currently a First Things First College Scholar recipient and working toward her Associate degree in Early Childhood Education from Yavapai Community College.
Read a message from Rebecca:
When I left high school, I was lost and didn’t know what my passion was. For four years, I changed my major more times than I can count and I eventually quit. While working at a job I hated, I didn’t know what to do. My Fiancé told me I needed to make a change because I deserved to be happy doing something I loved. He suggested looking into working with children because I was so good at it. I was a little apprehensive because I never saw myself working with children for a living. I also knew deep down it was going to be emotionally hard for me to be with children everyday knowing that I would never be able to have children of my own. However, I knew I needed to try. I found a listing from Grannies House, called immediately, and interviewed the next day. As soon as Grannie told me I got the job, I was so happy and nervous feeling as if I was going to fail. Every day I spent with the children, I got more comfortable and was having so much fun. These fun little minds were so creative and curious. I felt important and felt that I could really make a difference. I looked forward to going to work every day. I found what I was good at; I found my thing. I knew I had to go back to school after three years and make this my career. Going back to school was hard because I had to juggle working full time and schoolwork. However, I received a lot of support from my fiancé. He helped me stay focused and picked up the slack when I was overwhelmed. I also received support from my boss Grannie and coworker Janelle. They always were there when I needed ideas on my many projects and answer questions.
At the end of the 2018 fall semester, I received a miracle. I defied the odds and was expecting my little miracle baby. I was over the moon, but it came with lots of complications. For my whole pregnancy, I was on bedrest, which meant I had to leave my position at Grannies House and all my students; it was very heartbreaking for me. Continuing my education was extremely hard. I had to cut back to only one class a semester. Since I was on bedrest and had to take it easy, I made a compromise with my fiancé in which I went to class and he would join me. After I had my little miracle girl Luna, I lost my motivation to go back to school or even go back to work. When Luna was three months old, I started to think about my future. I wanted my daughter to be proud of me and I wanted to be a role model for her. She is my motivation and the reason I continue everyday to work hard, going to school, and getting my degree.
To those currently in school or thinking about starting, if you find something you’re passionate about, work hard for it. There will be tough times but in the end, it will be worth it because we are a crucial part of young lives and we can make a difference.