ACC-Long Beach Inspire Club Members Embrace Challenges of School and Life

When Lani Townsend needed help with the high school equivalency prep program at American Career College's campus in Lynwood, the same name kept coming up — Barbara Boyd.

While studying massage therapy at ACC-Long Beach, Boyd had been a shining example of how hard work and positive attitude can help overcome tough times. Besides finishing the program while raising two children, Boyd had also been a cohort ambassador and a federal work-study student.

"Never give up on your ability to give it 100 percent," Townsend told the Inspire Club during a recent meeting at ACC-Long Beach. "And that's what you did everyday, Barbara — your smile, your genuineness, your sincerity, your giving, to everybody around you. So when I had the opportunity to bring somebody on staff that I thought would make impact to the community at Lynwood, without hesitation everyone echoed your name. So it's been a pleasure and I'm so proud of you and I want to encourage all the rest of you to keep that same mentality. You just never know when the opportunity's going to present itself," Townsend said.

Boyd said she was "honored to come back and share my story" to the Inspire Club and listening to them reminded her of "how I felt when I was in the program."

Right after she started the massage therapy program, Boyd's mother got really ill and had to be hospitalized. Boyd said only by reaching out to other people and sharing what was going on in her life allowed her to continue school. Boyd said she drew inspiration from their belief in her and the sense of community the program gave her.

"You're already on the right path, you made it this far. The program is going to be done before you know it. Just keep going. Do your homework, show up every day — the only way you're going to get there is if you show up. You have to come every single day and you have to put your all into the day and be grateful for everyone that you have around you," Boyd told the Inspire Club. "You're surrounded by so many people. Just take them into your family and just keep going. Make ACC a second home, because you never know what life or God has in store for you guys."

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