On one end of the scale, six of Barbara’s nine children were high school dropouts. Barbara, a former special education student and welfare recipient, attended basic literacy classes for seven years. Large families on assistance do not necessarily translate to lower academic achievement. Kelly and Carolyn both started ABLE classes while on assistance. Carolyn, who later opened a daycare center, camp, and community center for inner city children, had eight children. Two of them attended college and the remaining six graduated becoming respectively a lawyer, dentist, state policeman corporate executive, realtor and social worker. Eleven of Kelly’s 12 children completed high school and nine completed college including one child who has a masters’ degree. Three children received military training, another took college courses, and five also received vocational training.

On the other hand, two of the nine children with advanced degrees belong to Stacy, an immigrant from Greece, who is currently a special education teacher and has a master’s degree plus six credits towards a doctorate. She states proudly that her

son graduated from [the] university in sales/business. I have twin daughters: one of the girls, she is a director, a therapist, an economist, and also a professor. The other girl is in charge of the program in [a major city] for Hospice. Both of my girls have married doctors. They work together.

Higher education and professional degrees are not the only standards for success. Participants look to military service and vocational training as alternative avenues to productive lives for their children. Gina, a single mother, reports that her 22-year old son completed high school and graduated second in his class with honors in the Marines and her second son is in high school and wants to join the Army.

There are other family benefits that participants believe have ensued from ABLE program participation. After 21 years of marriage, Quincy is separated from his wife and is having a hard time paying child support for their three children. Nevertheless, he claims that since his enrollment in adult education classes “the relationship between me and my children is a lot better. I’m definitely pleased about that.” Quincy is not the only participant pleased with his children. When asked during the informal talk, “What do you feel makes a person successful?” children were a main topic of conversation. Here are some of the answers:

I think what makes a person successful is being able to support their family, to raise their kids in a proper way that they would become productive members of society. FRANK

Actually, being successful is about completing things, doing things, and just doing the best you can, and being the person that you are supposed to be. Myself, raising my children and teaching them the right things to do, I consider that being successful. . Bringing up my children and to continue to work with other children who are less fortunate, that’s being successful. ED

For myself, I feel successful in how I was given the tools to learn to read and build on my self-esteem that I can grow and be helpful to my family first and through that then be able to go out and help others. PETER

Having goals that you try to strive for — the attempt is important, even if you don’t get there. Being a contributing member of society — doing my part in the community – raising decent young people to do their part in the world. Setting a good example. My daughter went back to school as an adult with a child to become an RN. I think my example helped her. WILMA