Story: Lisa Sollie | Photos: Cody Ingram
The 乐播传媒鈥檚 online program made it possible for Leslie Hood and her son Wesley Huddleston to earn their degrees
Leslie Hood was three months pregnant with her son Wesley when she walked across the stage to receive her diploma at Valley High School鈥檚 graduation in 1999. Twenty-four years later, mother and son walked across the stage at 乐播传媒鈥檚 2023 fall commencement, only this time, they each received a diploma.
Hood, who earned a special education degree, has dreamt of this moment since she was a kid.
鈥淢y whole life I wanted to be a teacher, but when I got pregnant my senior year of high school, I knew I had to step up, grow up and change my plans,鈥� she recalled, 鈥渁nd school wasn鈥檛 part of that. I continued to work, as I had since I was 16, often working two jobs or whatever I needed to make sure Wesley was taken care of.鈥� She also found fulfillment teaching Sunday School and youth at her church.
Seven years ago, she began working as a majorette and color guard instructor at Beulah High School in Valley, Alabama, and then as a substitute teacher at the high school and Beulah Elementary. When she stepped into the classroom for the first time, Hood knew she was where she always wanted to be, and after hired as a paraprofessional in 2020, she finally explored going back to school.
鈥淚 knew I鈥檇 have to earn my degree online, so I spoke to my principal about it and talked to some of the teachers I worked with, many of whom earned their degrees from 乐播传媒, and they all encouraged me to do it.鈥� Her family was also very supportive, but her biggest cheerleaders, she noted, were her husband, whom she married in 2008, and Wesley.
Wesley鈥檚 journey
Wesley Huddleston was busy finishing up his associate degree at Southern Union State Community College, when his mom began finalizing her plans to go back to school. Going to school in person didn鈥檛 appeal to him, and knowing his mom was starting at 乐播传媒 through their online program, he thought he鈥檇 give it a try as well. His degree choice was psychology.
鈥淚鈥檝e dealt with mental health issues most of my life, including attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) as well as general anxiety disorder, depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD),鈥� he noted, 鈥渟o my interest in psychology grew from that. And though I鈥檝e been in therapy since I was a kid, I didn鈥檛 want to be a therapist.鈥� Huddleston is interested in forensic psychology, particularly working with the criminally insane and those in institutions. He wants to understand how their brains work. 鈥淚 believe people like that are often misunderstood.鈥� He added, 鈥淚 want to help determine what triggers their behavior.鈥�
Huddleston admits he got in trouble a lot during high school. 鈥淚 had a 504 plan, and I don鈥檛 know if I would just get embarrassed or what when a teacher would call on me, but I would act out because I didn鈥檛 know how to respond to being singled out.鈥� Many of Wesley鈥檚 teachers didn鈥檛 understand him, his mom Leslie noted, but for some teachers, the 504-plan helped because it made them stop, look and listen. But for other teachers, not so much.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 one of the main reasons I wanted to be a special education teacher, so I can advocate for my students like I did for my son. I can be the go-between to help educate other teachers 鈥榳hy鈥� a particular student might be shutting down in their class. I can also come alongside parents, because I鈥檝e been in their shoes too. And I can be available to my students whether they just need someone to listen or need help understanding what鈥檚 happening around them or remind them they aren鈥檛 the only ones struggling,鈥� Hood explained. 鈥淲e all need to learn to work together to make sure all students have what they need to be successful,鈥� she added.
Most people who don鈥檛 struggle with the things he struggles with, noted Wesley, often think he can just overcome his disorders by pushing through them.
鈥淭hey think 鈥榠t鈥檚 all in my head鈥� but they don鈥檛 understand how you can almost become paralyzed with anxiety and worry and it鈥檚 hard to move forward and make yourself get started. Therapy, as well as having people around you who encourage you, like my girlfriend, who helps me a lot and pushes me to keep going, can change the way you think about things. But it鈥檚 easier said than done.鈥�
Online degree, the right fit
Earning a degree online has its own sets of challenges and while it may not work for everyone 鈥攂oth Leslie and Wesley said it was the right fit for them.
If it wasn鈥檛 for 乐播传媒鈥檚 online program, Wesley believes he would have flunked out. 鈥淚 struggled at the community college and often didn鈥檛 go to class. Taking online classes required me to do a lot of independent work, reading chapters and taking notes, which I enjoy doing. And though it鈥檚 often difficult to get started due to my ADHD, once I do, I鈥檓 okay. That was the hardest part for me, but I wouldn鈥檛 trade it for anything. Going to school online was definitely the right move for me,鈥� he added.
鈥淚鈥檝e never been in college before so it was hard, particularly at first, because I鈥檓 not one to bother people, I kind of want to figure it out on my own. Once I got over being afraid of my professors and let them know when I needed help or didn鈥檛 understand something,鈥� Leslie chuckled, 鈥渋t did get a little easier.鈥� Regardless of the many awesome instructors Leslie had though, going to school, working full-time and raising kids in a blended family was really stressful and there were days she wanted to quit.
鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 have done this without my family; our kids and my husband have sacrificed a lot. My church family and the faculty I work with and the administration here at the school have also been a huge encouragement checking on me and making sure I was okay,鈥� she added.
Since the family lives over four hours from 乐播传媒, Leslie had no plans to walk at graduation, but Wesley had other ideas.
鈥淚 was not a big fan of walking, I鈥檇 rather just have my diploma mailed to me,鈥� he said, 鈥渂ut I鈥檓 walking for my mom. She鈥檚 my role model and favorite person ever. She鈥檚 been wanting to go back (to school) for a long time, and even with all my siblings and everything, she didn鈥檛 let that stop her and that taught me a lot. Plenty of times I would go to her feeling depressed or overwhelmed and she would reassure me. Not only was she taking care of her family, but she was working full time and going to school and whenever I would see that, I鈥檇 think, there鈥檚 no reason why I can鈥檛 do it too.鈥�
鈥淚t’s crazy to think I鈥檝e actually graduated, and Wesley too,鈥� she added. 鈥淥ut of all the kids, he was the one I was so afraid would drop out of school when he turned 17. I prayed a lot, and look at him now!鈥�