Molly Hogan

Small steps.

An appropriate pace for Molly Hogan, who dreams of becoming a preschool teacher.

"I love working with children. It's a passion I've had since childhood, thanks to so many wonderful teachers that influenced me," says Hogan.

Hogan drew on that passion to carry her through some difficult times - including withdrawing from Elyria High School to raise her infant son, Jacob; and failing her first GED exam.

"I was very disappointed," admits Hogan, who failed the GED exam by one point shortly after relocating to Jacksonville, NC in 1998. "I swept it under the rug and didn't give it much thought."

Until she returned to Ohio several years later, working as a waitress and bartender.

"I had a friend who was studying for his GED at the JVS Adult Career Center," Hogan recalls. "Bartending was getting old. I thought about it, and decided to give the GED exam another shot."

Make that a blast. Hogan passed the exam just two months after enrolling in the course.

"After withdrawing from high school, I never thought I'd get another opportunity to teach," Hogan, 32, laments. "But my JVS teachers believed in me."

Yes, Hogan, who now lives in Sullivan, was scared about pursuing her GED certificate, but she channeled that nervous energy into her studies.

"I buried my nose in my books," she says. "I studied, studied, studied; spending hours taking practice tests and writing essays."

Which prepared her well for the two-day exam.

"Viewing my results online, seeing that I passed was exciting," she continues. "Then holding that certificate in my hands a few days later … it was awesome!"

For those who think that the GED is a meaningless piece of paper, think again.

In 2010, more than 757,000 adults worldwide took at least one of the five GED content area tests, also known as subtests, measuring skills in writing, reading, social studies, science, and mathematics, according to The 2010 GED Testing Program Statistical Report.

And more than 72 percent of those testers met the passing standard by earning scores equal to or higher than those earned by the top 60 percent of graduating high school seniors, the report says.

But Hogan's journey is just beginning.

"I kept thinking about college while I was at the JVS," she says. "My son was growing up. I wasn't working as much. The timing was right and I enrolled in the LCCC Early Childhood Education Program immediately after getting my GED."

Hogan's college studies are off to a good start. She was the recipient of the Early Childhood Leadership award, which she received at the Honors and Awards Outstanding Student Convocation at LCCC.

This award is presented to the student who has demonstrated excellence in leadership, scholarship, personal integrity, and community service and has unselfishly applied these skills to benefit the campus and community, according to LCCC documents. Hogan credits Dr. Kathy Head, one of her instructors at LCCC, for inspiring her to excel in her studies.

And if all goes right for Hogan, she will graduate with her Associate Degree in Early Childhood Education in May 2013 and eventually work toward her Bachelor's Degree at Ashland University through the LCCC partnership.

Hogan is also honing her skills at Child Nest Day Care in Wakeman while continuing her education at LCCC, aware of the impact that a quality teacher will have on young children.

Says Hogan: "I'm not in this for the money. My passion is for kids … setting them up for the next grade level. It's what they learn now that shapes them for the rest of their lives. I can't wait to have my own classroom!"