Meet the students: Sheila Hurst

by Vicki Heisser  |   

As 62 year-old Sheila Hurst knows, you are never too old to receive an education. Sheila earned her GED in October of 2019, and she gives much of the credit to PWSC's adult education instructors Joey Eastman and Karolina Brewster. With her GED in hand, Hurst is took her first college class this spring, Introduction to Women and Gender Studies.

Born and raised in Idaho Falls, Idaho, Hurst and her husband came to the Copper Basin area twelve years ago. The mother of three, and grandmother to thirteen, began her GED journey while working for Copper River Native Association (CRNA).

Hurst explains, “He [the CEO] told the staff that he wants to see all of us getting an education and working towards getting an associate degree. I went to PWSC and Joey Eastman helped me, and when Joey retired, Karolina helped me.” Hurst saw this as her second chance at completing high school.

When she was in the 11th grade, she was doing well, but when she got pregnant, she made the decision to leave school. Eventually she got married, had two more children, was working, and the idea of completing school faded away. Until now. But all that time away from school did make it challenging to try again.

Still working full-time, Hurst had to navigate her new role as a student. But as she shares, “What made it easier for me to study, well, I have to give that credit to Karolina. I set aside time at work to study and then the rest I did at home after work.”

Hurst got through her GED, and now she is working on an associate degree. After completing the Women and Gender Studies course she is enrolled in, she plans to continue taking classes one at a time so that, as she says, “I am not overwhelmed.”

As her youngest son prepares to graduate from college in Utah in December of 2020, Hurst herself will someday soon find herself wearing that cap and gown and walking to receive her hard earned and well deserved associate degree right here at PWSC.