“I grew up in a small town and always dreamed about becoming a nurse,” says MiKayla. For a while, it seemed like everything was going according to plan. She got a job working as a Nursing Assistant and enrolled in college. Then she got tangled up in the wrong crowd. Thankfully, when MiKayla learned she was pregnant, she pulled out all the stops to untangle her life and provide a great future for her son.
“As soon as I found out, I knew I had to give up school and get a decent job so I could move and make a small life for my child,” says MiKayla. She had already quit nursing and found a clerical position to build up her bank account until childbirth. “They did not have paid maternity leave for new moms, so I had to use all of my savings… Having a newborn, paying all my bills, and having no income was incredibly hard.”
Thankfully, her nurse with Nurse Family Partnership knew that Wisconsin Works could help.
MiKayla quickly enrolled and got the help she needed to revive her dream. W-2 helped MiKayla pay her bills through maternity leave. They also helped her realize that she could still pursue her dream to become a nurse while being a model cleric and mom. When she got back to work, MiKayla even got bonus checks for keeping her job.
“Now, because I got support through W-2 and NFP, I am currently enrolled at Herzing University for Nursing,” MiKayla attests. “They are helping give me the opportunity to make my dream finally come true for me and my son. I will be able to give him an even better life now. I am so incredibly thankful!”
Congratulations, MiKayla!
