First in Our Families: LCS Staff Stories

Many of the teachers and counselors at Lincoln Charter were the first in their families to go to college. Here, in their own words, is how they got there.

A first-generation college student is generally someone whose parents or guardians did not complete a four-year college degree. It usually means navigating admissions, financial aid, and campus life without a parent who has been through that process. If that's you, these stories are a reminder that you can follow the path that's right for you, even if you're the first in your family to walk it.

Ms. McCarter, Health Science Elective Teacher

BSN, Winston-Salem State University

PATH TO COLLEGE

I started college after high school but stopped, worked for 10 years, and went back to nursing school at 28. At 46, I returned for my bachelor's. My grandfather started taking classes at 75 and would call to compare grades, and knowing he'd ask really pushed me.

BIGGEST CHALLENGE

The pressure I put on myself to finish and to live more comfortably than my parents could. Going back for my BSN, I was working full time, married, and raising a busy kid. My husband and family picked up the slack, and determination carried me through.

ADVICE

Know that you can do hard things. The sacrifices are temporary, and your degree is something no one can take from you.

 

 

Carolina Haverty, High School Counselor

M.A. in School Counseling, Grand Canyon University

PATH TO COLLEGE

My parents immigrated from Colombia, and the U.S. college process was unfamiliar to them. My best friend encouraged me and helped me with the FAFSA and my applications. That experience is why I help students and families navigate college today.

BIGGEST CHALLENGE

Not knowing where to start or what to ask. I leaned on my best friend, sought out resources, and learned to advocate for myself. The obstacle was never ability or ambition; it was access to information.

ADVICE

Don't let not knowing where to start stop you. Ask questions, find a teacher, counselor, or mentor to guide you, and remember that you belong in those spaces just as much as anyone else.

 

 

Kenneth Lowe, 7th Grade Social Studies Teacher

B.A. in History and Spanish and B.S. in Homeland Security, Campbell University

PATH TO COLLEGE

When a Campbell admissions counselor visited Lincoln Charter, my APUSH teacher, Mrs. Drake, called me out to ask him a question. He mentioned the Homeland Security program, I toured, and I knew I was home. Dual-enrollment courses at LCS helped me become a triple major.

BIGGEST CHALLENGE

Learning the "unspoken rules" of college, from class registration to office hours to dorm life. It's a lot of trial and error, but you'll figure it out!

ADVICE

Meet people and do things that make you a little uncomfortable. Everyone in college is new and figuring it out together.

 

 

Walt Watson, High School Math Teacher

B.S. in Engineering Physics, U.S. Naval Academy; MBA, National University

PATH TO COLLEGE

My dad was retired Navy, and he got me interested in becoming an officer.

BIGGEST CHALLENGE

There was no money for college, so I needed a full ride.

ADVICE

Get your funding figured out, and avoid loans.

 

 

Austin Senter, High School EC Teacher

B.A. in Special Education, Arizona State University

PATH TO COLLEGE

I worked full time for four years after high school before being laid off. Then I took community college classes at night for four years, earned my associate degree, and transferred to ASU. Sheer determination, a good husband, and student loans got me there.

BIGGEST CHALLENGE

My parents hadn't been able to save for college, so I took out loans to pay for my university classes.

ADVICE

Remember the tortoise and the hare: it's not how fast you get there, it's getting there. And it's never too late to go!

 

 

Jamie Carroll, Kindergarten Teacher

B.A. in Elementary Education K–6, concentration in Social Studies, Lenoir-Rhyne University

PATH TO COLLEGE

My grandfather left school young to work on his family's farm, but he learned to read and write in his late 70s. His perseverance, my family's sacrifices, and teachers like Janie Peak and Pamela Harris, who believed in me, made my path possible.

BIGGEST CHALLENGE

I didn't understand college terminology, and the cost was very challenging. My teacher guided me and helped me pursue scholarships.

ADVICE

Don't give up; where there's a will, there's a way. And when you make it, turn around and help the next person in line.