Please join us in congratulating Riya Rashid as being SHLC’s January 2022 Learner of the Month.
Riya was nominated by her mentor, Petra. Here is an excerpt of what Petra submitted to us about Riya.
Riya has been learning since August of 2021. Both her and her mother (Yasmeen) share one computer to do their courses on. I have referred them to RCTech, to see if they can get a laptop paid for by her source of income.
Riya has completed the Employment bundles in the summer of 2021. In the fall of 2021, she completed 13 live classes and 3 moodle courses. Just before the Christmas break she wrote me and asked for more courses to do during the holidays. She also mentioned that she is missing the live classes already and can’t wait to attend in the New Year.
So far this year in 2022 she has completed Mindfulness Matters, Sharing Circle with Angela and is currently in the Numeracy for Work #1 with Live classes in the wings.
Riya and her Mom are recipients of verbal abuse from other tenants in the building. They are bullied so much, that they have to do their laundry in the middle of the night to avoid people. Riya still manages to attend most of her live classes with little rest as they sleep in the daytime more.
Riya is a very bright young lady. Doing the live classes for her means feeling included and part of a community of non-judgmental learners and instructors. She patiently waits for her next class and is eager to learn.
We decided to ask Riya some questions so we could share more about her story with you.
How did you first hear about online learning with Good Learning Anywhere?
I don’t honestly remember? I think our (mine and my mother’s) old caseworker told us about Good Learning Anywhere? But really, I don’t remember (I wish I did!).
Did you have any struggles during your learning? If so, how did you overcome them?
Not with the learning itself, but life issues sometimes do get in the way. Sometimes I’d be too tired to do much of anything, but telling myself I had to study, this was important to me had been enough of a motivator to get me through and work through my learning. It was just the fact that this was important to me, and I enjoyed the subjects I took.
What advice do you have for someone thinking about starting to improve their skills?
My advice is to pace yourself, sometimes life can get crazy, and you may feel frustrated if you can’t do it all quickly. Take your time to get through things. And to find a reason to feel motivated to get through skill improvement. It has to be something you’d want to do.
What is your greatest achievement? Or what accomplishment are you most proud of?
I feel my greatest accomplishment is getting through all the courses, and being able to continue working on them…the one I’m most proud of was getting through my first course, as I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to do it, or if I’d be interested. Not only was I super interested, but also super motivated to get it done. And since then I’ve found enjoyment in these courses.
What are your goals for the future?
I hope to eventually find a good paying job within my field of interest, which is Creative Writing. I also hope to be able to use the skills I picked up from my courses.
Is there anyone you would like to thank for supporting you on this journey?
I’d like to thank my mother, and Petra for being encouraging, and very supportive. I’d like to thank the other course instructors too for being as wonderful as they are, and for giving us great courses!
Is there anything else you would like to share with people about winning this award?
I didn’t actually think I would win! Hahaha. But I’m happy that I have! And I wish everyone else the best with their goals and accomplishments, and wish you all the best in getting your awards too!
Congratulations Riya! All the best in 2022!