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Text, California Adult Ed, Students Succeed. adultedlearners.org.

Ruth Rosa, Medical Clinic Department Aide, Charles A. Jones Skill and Business Education Center, Sacramento City, USD

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RUTH ROSA: Go ahead. That's fine. Go. Go.

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She advises women as they give injections.

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Just like that.

NARRATOR: When Ruth decided to go back to school her children were, shall we say, skeptical.

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Ruth

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RUTH ROSA: When I first told them I was going to school, they looked at me like I was crazy. Mom, you're too old. I was like, OK.

It was a good opportunity, because it helped me to get them straight in their school work as well. When it was time for me to come home and study, they did it with me.

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Rosa with her daughter.

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Believe it or not my oldest daughter, she's 12 years old. She helped me get through this class. She would help me study. I wouldn't be surprised that she knows medical terminology by heart, because she helped me out.

And they were very supportive. I know that they didn't see me as much. I mean, they actually saw me, but our time together was not the way it used to be. I mean, it was like, mommy got to study, leave me alone, or do your homework. It was get them to school, do their dinner, get their homework done, shower and all that, go to bed. That's the mommy they had at the time.

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Rosa with her son.

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But I think I worked pretty good, because my oldest son wanted to drop out of school couple of months before finishing. But it kept him in school, because I told him, it's never too late to go back to school. But if you can do it now, do it now. So it gave him responsibility on how to think and do the things that he needs to do.

And as for the other kids they kind of like it, because I'm there with them. They know that it's never too late to ever go back to school. I mean, they're telling me now to go be a doctor and I'm like, yeah, I'm going to be 60 by the time that happens. [LAUGHS]

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Patricia Bradshaw, Medical Clinical Department Instructor, Charles A. Jones Skills and Business Education Center, Sacramento City USD

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PATRICIA BRADSHAW: Ruth is a student amongst the others that I had. I had a very large class at the time. And she was a team player, worked well with others, got along, helped. With each and every student, it's different coming into medical clinical assistant. They were frightened at first, they did not know what to expect with me. All techniques were new to them, their book, everything. She adjusted very, very well.

Ruth really was and wanted to always learn, and that's one thing that I noticed about her. She was there. She was dedicated. She would even staying after school. And you can see that in a person. And she was a wonderful student.

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Ruth

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RUTH ROSA: So as soon as I was done, I just kept coming back. And even though I did get a job out in a clinic, if I didn't have to go to work till 12, in the morning I was here, and then go to work from here. Or if I was off, I automatically got up and got here. There's something about this place that would not let me go. [LAUGHS] So this is home for me.

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Patricia

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PATRICIA BRADSHAW: She was in my classroom almost every single day. And we grew on one another. And as a team player, it finally worked, the paperwork went through. She is now with the title, my lab technician.

And without having Ruth, she's my second hands, she's my second eyes. And I appreciate having Ruth. I work very well with her. But she also knows what I'm thinking, and that's what you need when you're working with someone, especially with hands on. I could look at Ruth and she knows. She could tell by my eyes, I can tell by her, by our facial expressions as well. We work very well together. We are a team. Without Ruth, I would have a difficult time.

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Ruth

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RUTH ROSA: The joy that it gives me to actually see somebody finish it's like, I'm partying right along with them. And that keeps me going every day. If I can just make one difference in somebody's life, not only in my kids, but as somebody else that probably their life is a lot harder than mine was. The fact that I can actually give somebody something that was given to me. If I can make one life succeed, I'm happy.

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