Student Stories 2013 > Kimberly Barnes

Student Story: Kimberly

At age 17, Kimberly Barnes left high school during her senior year.  She later realized that the decision to drop out of school stalled her path to becoming a teacher.

“I want to be a high school teacher so I can help other kids with life beyond school and maybe they won’t make some of the same decisions I did.”

As a student at Northwest Vista College, Kimberly’s goal now is to get her associate degree and eventually teach in her hometown of Missouri.

“An associate degree opens up so many doors and provides better job opportunities. Also once you go to a four-year college, you will have something to show for the two years you have completed.”

Kimberly also has another motivating factor for attending a two-year college.  As a military spouse, Kimberly receives tuition assistance from the Department of Defense through the Military Spouse Advancement Accounts Program (MyCAA), a career development and employment assistance program that allows military spouses to pursue licenses, certificates, certifications or associate degrees needed for high demand jobs. 

“This is a good deal and it saves me a lot of money once I transfer to a four-year college.”