Working as a float teacher at local preschool and childcare center, The Learning Knoll, Athecia Yager knew she wanted to deepen her knowledge and strengthen her impact in the classroom.

She started at Greenfield Community College in 2023, and says it soon became clear that the Education Department’s Career Pathways program would make it financially possible to advance her career and earning potential as an early childhood educator. She now studies Early Childhood Education and describes her experience at GCC as “the most wonderful” of her life. “Every class and educator has been encouraging and delightful to speak with,” she says. “This whole journey has been rewarding.”

Athecia credits several GCC faculty members with being instrumental in her success. Career Counselor Vincent Youngwell, she says, has been her “best supporter and teammate. He is always there with a snack and words of encouragement. He believes in me more than I do in myself most days.” She also points to Senior Program Coordinator Felicia Gooler for her warmth and steady guidance and Professor Peggy Martalock for her infectious positivity and determination to see her succeed. “I owe these three people everything,” she says.

Balancing school, work and home life is no small task. In addition to teaching, she is raising her foster child and dedicating herself to creating meaningful opportunities for the children in her care. While she doesn’t have time for traditional extracurriculars, she blends creativity into her after-school program. For the past year, her students (ages five to 12) have been collaboratively designing and building a mosaic mural. She also works with the Western Mass Comic Book Show and hopes to connect her students with professional artists to help nurture the incredible talent she sees in her classroom.

What she loves most about GCC is the culture of encouragement. “Everybody loves having a cheerleader in their life,” she says. “I have a building full.” That sense of collective investment in student success fuels her determination to earn her associate degree, something she calls “long overdue.” Looking ahead, she plans to take EDU 148 and continue focusing on trauma-informed and special rights education. Her goal is simple and powerful: to improve the quality of life for every child in her care.

Her advice to prospective students is: “DO IT!! And please use the resources offered. Your advisors are there to keep you engaged and successful.Lean into them. They truly want the best for you.”