‘Catholic Charities helped me a lot:’ HiSET Graduate Makes Family Proud

At just 36 years old, Elizabeth Real Ruiz is a devoted mother to four children and a grandmother to a three-month-old baby. Having become a mom when she was just a teenager herself, Elizabeth said she never had the time or opportunity to invest in her own education and career – that is, until she discovered Catholic Charities North’s HiSET program in Lynn.  

This past summer, after completing a semester of Catholic Charities North’s ESOL class, Elizabeth decided to finally take the leap toward receiving her HiSet diploma.  

“Everything was so new to me, so I was so excited to be a student learning something new,” she said, adding that she wouldn’t be where she is today if it weren’t for the incredible teachers who motivated her to believe in herself.  

“Elizabeth was one of the most persistent students that I have ever seen,” said Catholic Charities North’s CIES Case Manager and CareerWorks Instructor, Ana Stipanovic. “She was so determined to finish the class within 3 months. I pushed her very hard. I believed in her just like she believed in herself.” 

Between working part-time to support her family, caring for her newborn grandchild, and taking classes at Catholic Charities, Elizabeth had a full plate. Thanks to the support of her teachers, she said she ended up taking and passing the HiSET exam the very day of the graduation ceremony. Only twenty minutes before the graduation ceremony began, Elizabeth showed up with a proud smile on her face, followed by her four children, husband and one-month-old grandson, who cheered her on as she received her diploma. 

“My goal has always been to grow and do something just for me, and I did it,” Elizabeth said. 

Elizabeth is continuing to strengthen her English-speaking skills through Catholic Charities North’s ESOL training, working with Ana to identify career opportunities in social work – a field that would allow her to harness her innate desire to help others. 

“I really love helping other people,” she said. “Catholic Charities helped me a lot, so now I want to give back.” 

To learn more about Catholic Charities’ HiSet program, click here. To find out how you can support students like Elizabeth, visit our Ways to Give page.