<p>After moving away from home, work became a top priority for Tiffany Pruitt-Roethemeier so she could support herself.</p>
<p>She moved away from home at the end of her junior year, and needed to work to support herself. That meant she often had to leave school early so she could make it to her restaurant shift that began at 2 p.m.</p>
<p>She wasn’t sure she would be able to graduate.</p>
<p>“My attendance was really poor in high school,” she said. “I didn’t have the mindset of being able to graduate.”</p>[sc:text-divider text-divider-title="Story continues below gallery" ]
<p>Her school counselor encouraged her to try Clark Pleasant Academy, which allowed her the option to have more flexible hours and work at her own pace.</p>
<p>That, along with teachers who could work with her one-on-one, shifted her perspective and helped her realize that she could get back on track academically and graduate high school.</p>
<p>“I wouldn’t have graduated without coming here,” she said.</p>
<p>One benefit of getting her diploma is that she’ll have access to higher-paying jobs, she said. After graduating, her plan is to find a factory or manufacturing job, allowing her to begin saving for college.</p>
<p>She hasn’t decided yet where she would go, but is considering Ivy Tech Community College. If she does go to college, she wants to study to become a social worker, which will give her the opportunity to serve and help people who are struggling.</p>
<p>“I’ve done things I’ve never thought I could do,” she said.</p>[sc:pullout-title pullout-title="The Pruitt-Roethemeier File" ][sc:pullout-text-begin]<p>Name: Tiffany Pruitt-Roethemeier</p>
<p>Age: 18</p>
<p>Parents: Lesley Miller</p>
<p>College plans: Attend Ivy Tech Community College</p>
<p>Career goals: Become a social worker</p>[sc:pullout-text-end]
