In the fall of 2012, Shannon Harmon, a single mother living in Amador County, was working and commuting to Folsom Community College. Between the time spent commuting to school, and money spent on gas and babysitters, she wasn’t sure if she could maintain the schedule or handle the financial burden any longer. And that’s when she heard about Amador College Connect, a local resource center that helps bridge local residents to the world of distance education. With ACC’s help, Shannon applied to Coastline Community College, filled out her federal financial aid forms and started taking online classes. In the fall of 2013, Shannon finished her Certificate in Human Services.

“The local ACC office and financial aid was truly the most amazing thing [for me]. I was actually able to have all the materials on time without going into debt or borrowing money.”

Shannon did not stop there. Through distance education, Shannon continued working toward her educational goals, right from Amador County:

“I received my AA degree in Human Services and I am now working on completing core classes to transfer to a four-year college to graduate with my bachelors, and eventually, my masters. Amador College Connect helped me receive my Human Services certificate, which opened up the door for so many other opportunities. The impact of going back to college allowed me to build self-confidence in my life and more importantly, made me feel like a better mother.”