Hope, Hard Work, and a Single Parent Scholarship

Holly (right) receives her ASPSF Fall 2024 scholarship with her daughter, Kinzlee.

The pandemic uprooted so many lives, but not for Holly. 2020 was the year when she transformed her life. 

“I decided to take a chance and do something different,” said the single mom. “The last and final time I used a substance was in August 2020.” 

Once sober, Holly started working at a nursing home as a laundry attendant. Seeing her determination, the nursing home sponsored Holly to take classes to become a certified nursing assistant (CNA). 

Holly has seen her life transform through her hard work. She earned her associate degree and then started on her bachelor’s. She made the Chancellor’s List and the Dean’s List. She even earned a promotion at work, becoming the nursing home’s social director.

But more importantly, Holly is repairing relationships with her teenage daughter and adult son. With her single parent scholarship, Holly is able to spend more time with her daughter and is noticing positive changes.

“My daughter has been applying herself more to her school work, maturing in her emotions, and exhibiting better behavior,” Holly said. 

Holly expects to graduate with a bachelor’s next fall and go on to graduate school and become a licensed social worker. One day, she’d like to start a nonprofit and help children whose parents are incarcerated.

“ASPSF has helped me to see there are people who want to see others succeed and want to help,” she said. “The donors of this fund help break generational curses and create a different reality for not only the parents but the children.”