Horrid upbringing transforms into hope, thanks to Modesto’s LearningQuest

Until I began working at LearningQuest, I had no idea the depth of issues that cause young people to not finish their high school education. For many, the journey is like pushing a boulder uphill.

As I meet people who are successfully moving the boulder and making it to their diploma, I realize how heroic and amazing these people really are. Cherish Medeiros is one of those boulder movers.

Experiencing trauma as a toddler, Cherish was raised by her loving grandmother for 10 years. After losing her to cancer, she lived with her father in a house with drugs and alcohol. By sixth grade, she became dependent on substances, dropped out of school, and was in and out of the juvenile delinquent and foster care systems.

At just 16, Cherish had her first child. Ten years later, fearing that her fourth child also would be taken away by Child Protective Services, she gave birth alone, at home on her bed. It was this breaking point that made her realize she needed to change her life.

When Cherish enrolled at LearningQuest, it had been 15 years since she attended school and she was terrified. She struggled with anxiety, emotional outbursts in class and a defeated mindset. She says, “I had to rewire my brain. I know that my past usage of drugs and alcohol at such a young age has affected my retention of information.”

LearningQuest staff would patiently talk Cherish through those emotional struggles to get her back on track. With positive support, her confidence grew, her panic attacks began to diminish, and she became more engaged in her assignments. She took her final test in 2016 and passed; Cherish officially earned her diploma. At graduation, she walked the stage with joy as family and friends cheered.

Now Cherish is a drug and alcohol counselor at Sierra Vista Child and Family Services in Modesto, helping others rise above their addictions while she finishes administrative justice classes at Modesto Junior College. Cherish has kept a close bond with her father and her four daughters and has a positive outlook on life.

The next chapters planned in her story include graduating from MJC, transferring to CSU Stanislaus, earning a master’s degree in social work, and finally, working for Child Protective Services to support families in positions similar to her own. Cherish now gives love, support, and guidance to her clients by sharing the kindness she received at LearningQuest.

From now until April 15, LearningQuest is undergoing its annual Building Hope scholarship drive, raising money to help more students like Cherish achieve diplomas. Thanks to a $40,000 match by the Mary Stuart Rogers Foundation, any contribution will be doubled. For more information, go to lqslc.com/buildhope.