[MUSIC PLAYING] CARRIE TIBKE: I thought running away to Virginia when I was 18 years old was the best thing I could possibly do for myself. I was getting the furthest away from my family that you could get, I mean, come on, it was all the way on the East Coast. [LAUGHS] 

And I thought that why not get married and live a happy little life away. And four years later, moved back with the eight-month-old baby, and that was it. Clothes on his back and maybe a suitcase of mine. 

NANCY COMPTON: Every once in a while you meet someone who is completely outstanding and amazing, and just has that wherewithal to say, you know what? That was my past. This is my future. I'm moving on. And it makes me grateful that we've had the program here, we could help her and the personnel here, who could help her and believe in her. 

CARRIE TIBKE: I've tried other schools. I was going to another school, and like I said, I was two months from graduation, and I started just passing out and ending up in hospitals. And I started being treated for depression and mainly panic and anxiety disorder due to a lot of domestic violence in my life. I was kind of past that physical therapy point and needed surgery. As soon as I was released from my physician, I started back up here at Charles Jones. 

JEAN NEWMAN: She did have some struggles. She did have an environment that she was raised in that wasn't very supportive. However, she continued to persevere. And if I were to give one word that I would use for her it would be determined, very determined young lady. 

RUTH ROSA: It's one thing I've always told her, don't ever forget where you came from. Don't. Even though most of your past is hurtful-- our bad memories, use those to get further up in life. 

RHONDA COOPER: Carrie came in when she was at that maturation state, where she was ready to move on with her life and she had a focus, and she was going to allow anybody to get in her way. That's what she came here for, and she was ready to do it 

PATRICIA BRADSHAW: Carrie knew what she wanted, but to get her to that point was hard. Like I said, she wanted to quit but she didn't. And she kept coming back. And with the encouragement and knowing that she had her little boy at home, that's where Carrie focused. And to know I want a future, I want a live, I want to be able to be the mother that, that little boy needs. 

CARRIE TIBKE: I attributed to going home at the end of the day and seeing my son. And kind of had that extra push of, man, if I give up, what kind of example is that setting for him. Especially when I'm yelling at him to get on his schoolwork, and here I am feeling like I want to give up on mine. 

NANCY GUETTLER: I really commend her for her progress that she's made before she started here. And that's a big accomplishment, big accomplishment. 

RUTH ROSA: Whatever she wants to do, as long as she puts her mind to it and have that, I can do it attitude, she will get a lot further in life. 

PATRICIA BRADSHAW: I would like to thank, Carrie, from the bottom of my heart for being my student. The challenges with her were so worth it. And I thank her for allowing me to teach her. I knew she had it in her, I just had to pull it out from inside. She's a wonderful young lady. 

NANCY COMPTON: This is such a tremendous honor that she is an inspiration and will be an inspiration to many, many students and many, many people out there, who maybe are not students, but in reading her story will say, well, if Carrie can do what she's done, I too can do that. 

CARRIE TIBKE: Basically, what it boils down to is if I don't take care of my son who is going to. I mean, the way that I look at it is whatever I'm going through somebody else has got to have it worse than me. 

SABIAN NOW: I feel proud of her that she made it through college, and she has a very good job. And that she came working from college all the way to here. 

CARRIE TIBKE: Definitely miss Bradshaw, and Miss Rosa. I have been the biggest impact from here to there. Whichever way life goes, there'll always be a part of me. And I'll always thank them for what they did for me and who they are. 

[MUSIC PLAYING]