A 70-year-old retiree finds satisfaction in her GED studies
Maria Bernarda De Leon always wanted get an education, but growing up in a low-income family in Honduras, it wasn’t an option.
“I didn’t have the opportunity to attend school when I was a kid,” De Leon says. “We were a big family and my parents didn’t have the chance to send us to school.”
Now 70-years-old and retired, De Leon is finally acting on her long-time wish by taking classes at Allan Hancock College (AHC), a community college that serves the Santa Barbara region. The school offers students a wide variety of free and low-cost classes, including adult basic education, high school diploma equivalency and even income tax preparation.
“It’s a wonderful school,” De Leon says. “I’m really proud to have found Allan Hancock College.”
Her history at AHC goes back a decade.
“For those who want to finish high school, no matter what age, it’s never too late.”
Maria Bernarda De Leon, GED Student, Allan Hancock College
De Leon and her husband, a civil engineer from El Salvador, started taking ESL classes after the last of their four sons moved out of the house in 2015. De Leon also enrolled in GED classes, eventually earning her certificate in 2021. That journey, De Leon confesses, was difficult given her lack of formal education.
“I started from the very bottom,” De Leon says. “It was hard because I didn’t understand anything.”
De Leon says she had helpful teachers to guide her along, particularly Lilia Wambolt, whom De Leon currently assists as a teacher’s aide, helping GED students who require extra assistance. De Leon says the relationship built with Wambolt when she was a student benefits her in this new role.
“Wambolt and I understand each other really well,” De Leon says.
Even though she’s earned her diploma, De Leon continues to take GED classes in the mornings and evenings, all in the pursuit of knowledge. This is the type of retirement she wants, De Leon says.
“I don’t see myself at home,” De Leon says. “That’s why I go to school.”
Even though De Leon couldn’t formally go to school when she was younger, her path through school nonetheless spans decades.
In 1986, she immigrated to the United States with hopes of going to school as she earned a living for her family back home in Honduras. When we she wasn’t working her job as a house cleaner, De Leon took English classes, but still felt unsatisfied.
“I said, ‘I’m not going to clean houses all my life,’ and that’s why I decided to get my [cosmetology] license,” De Leon says.
After several years of classes, De Leon earned her license in 1993. She worked in the business for over 30 years, retiring in December 2024. She still occasionally returns to her old workplace to help out. Her favorite part of the job? The customers.
“I love to talk to people,” De Leon says.
De Leon’s family, which now includes two grandchildren, are immensely supportive of her, and even like to playfully tease her steadfast commitment to education.
“They make joke and say, ‘What diploma are you getting now?” De Leon says.
De Leon says she is grateful to have achieved her childhood dream of becoming a student, and encourages people of similar backgrounds to continue pursuing their education.
“For those who want to finish high school, no matter what age, it’s never too late,” De Leon says. “It’s not easy, but it’s not impossible.”
For more information on Allan Hancock College’s noncredit community education programs visit https://www.hancockcollege.edu/communityed/index.php
Written by Jimmy Flynn
| Regions | Classes & Topics |
|---|---|
| South Coast California | English as a Second Language – High School |
