Diploma opens doors for Sallisaw woman

When Crystle Mize received her high school diploma this month, it meant more to the Sallisaw mother of three than simply reaching an education milestone. When the piece of paper arrived in the mail, it brought with it a promise of opportunity and hope, two things that have eluded her most of her life.

Mize had a lot to overcome after dropping out of high school before the start of her senior year. Throughout her life, the Sallisaw woman had very few positive role models, which only served to compound her struggles. Even finding a safe place to live was fraught with challenge after challenge.

A lifetime of abuse, drug use, incarceration, toxic relationships, and continuous heartbreak left Mize broken and lost. Ironically, it was her addiction to drugs that ultimately saved her life. After being accepted into the drug court program in Sequoyah County, Mize wound up in the Sallisaw Adult Learning Center. A high school diploma was one of the requirements of her rehabilitation, and she began working toward her GED.

She joined the Green Country Workforce’s adult program, which provided her with an individual employment plan as well as a plan of study. She plans to begin working at a retirement home as a part-time caretaker.

It’s been a long, painful journey for Mize, but she hopes the path she is on will provide a positive example for her children to follow. She said she is grateful for the staff at the learning center, who have helped her reach her goals.

“I have amazing teachers that have helped me succeed,” she said.

The new high school graduate hopes to someday become a drug and grief counselor, sharing the lessons she has learned through her recovery.

“I’m building a new, better, happiness-filled life,” she said.

The Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education acts as the pass-through agency for Adult Education Family Literacy Act grants. The AEFLA assists adults with becoming literate, obtaining the knowledge and skills necessary for employment and self-sufficiency and obtaining the skills necessary to lead to sustainable improvements in the economic opportunities of their family.