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Schenectady High School

WIEC Student Receives Student of the Year Award

Denise and Chuck Kahn, her former teacher at WIEC

Congratulations to Denise Holmes, a 2007 GED graduate of the Washington Irving Education Center, who was recently named one of  five students from across the state to receive the New York Association for Continuing/
Community Education (NYACCE) Student of the Year award.  Holmes was honored at the NYACCE dinner on March 4 at the Century House in Latham and at the Legislative Breakfast the following day.

Chuck Kahn and Marie Whitham nominated Holmes for the award.

Read Nomination Essay:

Denise Holmes personifies the definition of tenacity. If it were not for her steadfast dedication, intrinsic strength, faith and fortitude, she would not now be where she wanted to be: a GED graduate, wel

Senator Farley congratulates Denise

l employed, and about to embark on the next phase of her education, along with her life.

Denise reached the ninth grade at Charles Evan Hughes School in New York City, an average student. In tenth grade she “fell in with the wrong crowd”, started drinking and drugging, and dropped out. Between the ages of 14 and 17, Denise was on the wrong track with the wrong people. At 17 she had her first child and, not too long after, a second. The drinking and substance abuse continued. At 25 she became a crack cocaine addict and continued for six long years.

Her mother took in the children and Denise entered St. Joseph’s Rehab in the Adirondacks. She thrived in rehab, found a deep faith, and drew on her heretofore hidden inner strengths to leave drugs behind. She moved to Schenectady and got her life in order. She learned to drive. She kept a job for the first time. Her children returned to her and she drummed into them the principle “Get an education!” She tried that herself, entering Washington Irving Educational Center, but “The education thing didn’t stick,” and she dropped out again to keep on with the life she had at that point made for herself and her family.

When her first grandchild arrived, Denise realized that she needed to go back to school to get her GED. She had a goal: a certificate that would help her get out of the low wage, no benefit jobs she had endured and give her a path to college. In May 2006, at age 45, she re-enrolled at Washington Irving, fought down her doubts and fears, and drew on her innate tenacity to tackle the task at hand.

Denise worked overnight shifts as a home health aide in order to be able to attend GED classes for a full day, every day. She was at the school early and often, always bright, interested and ready to learn; qualities that she modeled successfully to the entire student body. Denise found the academics difficult. She struggled with the complexities of government; got lost in maps, charts and graphs; railed at percentages and word problems. She thought about alternatives to her original goal. The dedication she showed in overcoming the difficulties of English grammar and Physics was worthy of a crusader.

Two attempts at the GED exam fell short. An abusive relationship was ended. Economic difficulties were conquered. Mathematics became her nemesis. Denise kept on doing what she had to do to reach her now elusive goal. She got used to mathematics. She would not panic. She credits her deep faith for getting past the intricacies of academic thought and the difficulties she faced. She kept repeating to herself Phillipians 4:13, and this mantra, as well as her fortitude, kept Denise on the path she had set. Something as trivial as fractions, percentages, word problems and algebra would not stop her, and in September 2007 Denise passed the final hurdle. She attained her GED. New doors open before her.

Denise is a congregant at Friendship Baptist Church in Schenectady where she has become the church clerk and a Sunday school teacher. More importantly, she is an inspiration to others who also have goals to raise themselves out of chaos through education. Denise advocates for learning and education at every opportunity and is even tutoring others of the congregation in math. She has taken this advocacy to the Schenectady YWCA and has become an informal, unofficial recruiter for Washington Irving, as well. Her advice: “It’s important for drop-outs to drop back in, especially for people of my age. It’s never too late, no matter what age.”

Denise will take the next step in her personal progress this coming September when, after paying off loans taken out over a decade ago, she begins study toward an AAS degree in Drug and Alcohol Counseling at Schenectady County Community College. “It is a way to give back to the community,” she says. In the meantime, Denise is working for Schenectady ARC as a residential counselor; a good job, with benefits, that was out of reach only a few short months ago.

Denise has, through tenacity, steadfast dedication, intrinsic strength, fortitude and faith brought herself to a place she only dreamed of: “I’ve completed my initial goals. It’s time for new ones.”

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