[music playing]

Annette Melendrez: From a young age, all I saw was drug involvement, gang involvement, nothing to do with good morals, education, any positive foundation. I remember saying, I want to help people. Because of living the life that I was living and I feel like I was one of the old souls, that they call, that I was more mature than my age. And I said, I want to help people. I want to help people. Well, I couldn't help people until I could help myself. And I am the program manager. I started shelter manager at the Pajaro Valley Shelter Services. I've been there 16 years, and my husband and I, and five children were past clients of the program.

DR. NANCY BILICICH: She got motivated at her job and she came to us. And then she worked with AV Coyle, and good things happened.

Ann Veronica Coyle: She was so determined to get her GED. As we all know, many times students have to stop out and come back. And that's exactly what happened to Annette, for all the reasons, family, her profession, other things that happened to come up along the way. And she was so determined. Once Annette sets her mind on something, she will never ever give it up. And she did that in every aspect of her life, including getting her GED.

Annette Melendrez: In the morning I'd work a few hours with AV and then come to end the day here when I could, a few hours in class with other students and AV and math classes, and distant learning, one-on-one with AV in her office, just anywhere and everywhere I could work on it, work toward the goal that I wanted to reach. And I was obtaining and completing all the tests. I just did it.

Ann Veronica Coyle: She said again and again, I had to be able to do that accomplishment because that's what I was pushing our clients to do. If I didn't do it, could I with integrity ask the person I was counseling to do it also?

Annette Melendrez: After that I became the program manager. And here I am. And I just love what I do. I'm grateful. I'm grateful to give back what I received, and I get to get paid for it, you know, what a gift.

Kimberly Ferm: I'm really happy to be here to support the work that she does and the work that all of our staff do. But really, Annette is leading by example. And I'm just so honored and proud to be part of her team.

Ann Veronica Coyle: She was just a model to everyone in the classroom, and a support, and a strength. And when she passed her GED and came into the classroom-- it happened to be this very room-- with the news, we all stood up and cheered her.

Annette Melendrez: My goal, yeah, it was to obtain my GED before my son graduated, 2013.

Ann Veronica Coyle: That was another example of Annette's determination. She had to pass her math test before Sergio graduated.

Annette Melendrez: When I got that you passed, I had a breakthrough, free from my past, and this is a new generational blessing to come, and the future to come from my children's children's children.

DR. NANCY BILICICH: Annette is one of our great success stories. We are very proud of her. We're excited about her, as we are many students. But this story is really unique. And we're very happy that Annette is here, and that she graduated, and she's still being a strong contributor in the community.

Annette Melendrez: Support that I got, the confidence that others saw me through adult ed. And that was AV, I can't thank her enough.

Ann Veronica Coyle: Annette with her husband, is also raising two grandchildren. And education is at the absolute top of the priority list for those children. And they saw that their grandma did it. They were old enough to know she didn't do it when she was a young girl. And that has motivated them so much.

Annette Melendrez: My goal is to continue to work on breaking the cycle, bottom line. That is my thing, that's my thing, breaking the cycle, breaking the generational curses, I call them. Face your fears, face your fears, and you can conquer it all. Face your fears.

[music playing]