Triple the triumph part 3: Hannah’s story

As a child, CSF Alum Hannah didn’t feel like anything was missing. Raised by a single mother and buoyed by the company of her siblings Marcus and Chloe, Hannah glows with gratitude for her tight knit family. “I love my brother and sister,” Hannah says. “They are my best friends. I trust them with everything. Our mom gave us all the support we needed.” 

At first, Hannah didn’t mind being lumped in with her siblings. “Growing up as a triplet, you’re kind of known for it. Everyone knows of you as ‘the three of you.’” But as she matured, Hannah took notice of how being grouped as a triplet hindered her sense of individuality. “It was kind of hard,” Hannah recalls. “I wanted to be known for being myself. It’s off-putting to be ‘known’ to someone before you meet them or to be expected to be exactly like your siblings.”

In search of identity

There’s something to be said for being recognized for your own identity. It was at Shadle Park High School in Spokane, WA where Hannah started to discover hers. “I ran XC and track all four years of high school,” she says. “That was where I began to find my sense of identity. That’s what I really enjoyed about high school. Being on a team made me feel a stronger connection to our school, which I loved, and it also felt like I was recognized and appreciated.’” For Hannah, contributing to something larger than herself, while also cultivating her unique talents struck an ideal balance between being independent and being part of a community.

For every member of the triplet, striving towards higher education was strongly encouraged. “That’s where we learned success came from,” Hannah says. “No questions asked.” But by the time the triplets arrived in high school, Hannah did have questions. “I remember thinking, ‘’How is my mom going to support three kids at once through college?’” Hannah recalls, “I thought it was almost unattainable because we were lower-income.”

Planting seeds early

Hannah and her siblings were fortunate to join CSF’s program in middle school via CSF’s partnership with AmeriCorps. “I didn’t know anything about applying for college at that time,” Hannah reflects. “But CSF planted the seeds early and made it easier to understand what our options were.”

Once the triplets transitioned to high school, they were seamlessly paired with College Success Foundation advisor Alex Laughery who helped guide them through every step of the process. “We love Alex. He was so kind, helpful and patient with us,” Hannah says. Alex took time to personally follow up with the triplets throughout their high school journeys. He advised them about financial aid and scholarship opportunities that helped Hannah feel more at ease when contemplating her future. “CSF helped me feel more comfortable with my decision to apply. I was surprised by how many resources were available,” She remembers. “CSF was such a good guide and help. I was so grateful for that because I don’t know if I would have been able to do it on my own.”

COVID’s impact on adolescent mental health

Through the beginning of her junior year, things were looking up. But when COVID swept the globe in March 2020, Hannah’s world was turned upside down. “COVID really dulled my sparkle,” she reflects. “Halfway through junior year, everyone thought we’d have a couple weeks off of school but when I found out we weren’t going back, it really disappointed me.” As a student who thrived off her sense of community, her contributions to her peers and being immersed in in-person learning, Hannah lost motivation. “I felt pretty down. Being around people, socializing–it fed me. I didn’t hold myself to the same standard as my pre-pandemic self.”

Hannah is not alone. Across the world, children and adolescents are struggling with mental health challenges at soaring levels intensified by the pandemic. Numerous organizations including the American Academy of Pediatrics have declared this mental health crisis a national emergency. 

“A big difference between me and [my siblings] is that I struggle with mental health,” Hannah shares. “I’ve been diagnosed with depression and anxiety since I was a freshman in high school. So the pandemic affected me a lot.” Despite remote learning, social isolation and loss of motivation, Hannah persisted. She credits CSF for helping her to stay on-track. “CSF helped to remind me about my future goals. And helped me get excited to move on from COVID.” 

Hannah chose to attend Whitworth University in Spokane. She had an appreciation for their beliefs and took comfort in knowing she’d still be close to her family. When she first visited campus, she notes, “I felt like this was the place for me.”

The path less traveled

At CSF, our focus spotlights postsecondary pathways that facilitate brighter futures for the students we serve. Most often this includes the pursuit of a college degree. But what happens when a student wants to take the path less traveled? Less popularized? Less clear?

When Hannah arrived on campus, she felt conflicted. “I was there for a few months, but struggled,” Hannah recalls. “I wasn’t very passionate about my major. COVID restrictions prevented me from meeting people. I felt alone.”

She tried to convince herself that her unhappiness was more a matter of not having an open mind than the reality of a four-year university not being the right track for her. But the looming sense of loneliness scared Hannah. It proved to be an existential threat to all she’d been taught about college and success. To all she’d been expected to achieve alongside her siblings.

While a college degree can unlock opportunities for future economic mobility, it’s not necessarily for everyone. Though it’s less common, reevaluating college pathways and career choices is sometimes a necessary course of action. And one that requires the courage to dig deep. “I had many nights thinking: ‘Well if you don’t go there anymore, you’re a failure. Your siblings are going to be so successful and that’s going to leave you in the dust. They’re doing so well, why aren’t you? Why aren’t you happy with your decision?’”

CSF’s full continuum of support

At College Success Foundation, our engagement with students doesn’t start during the college application process or stop with the provision of a diploma. In middle school, our CSF AmeriCorps College & Career Coaches set the groundwork earlier for a college-going mindset. In high school, we provide focused support for every student’s grade level. And in college, our College Services team supports online and on-campus resources to keep students on track for graduation. 

Knowing of CSF’s commitment to student success, Hannah’s mom Stacie contacted the regional director of CSF-Spokane, Shannon Demant, to inform her of Hannah’s struggles. Shannon intervened right away.

“We are committed to each CSF Scholar’s success and only they can define what ‘success’ means for themselves,” says CSF’s regional director Shannon Demant. “Our job is to help each student understand their gifts and talents, and how that aligns with careers and postsecondary pathways for the choice that best suits them.”

In Hannah’s case, COVID was a barrier for truly knowing the best fit and match for her but she is a brave and courageous young woman to reevaluate and then make the decision that aligns with who she truly is and what she hopes for. We are very proud of her! Hannah is an incredible young girl.

CSF Regional Director Shannon Demant

“I would really like to thank Shannon Demant. She has been in touch with me ever since, keeping tabs on me and has been a really big support system. I truly feel she is so caring and wants me to be the best person I can be,” Hannah says. “Shannon and I made a plan as to how to move forward.” With Shannon’s guidance, Hannah established a list of possible solutions that ultimately clarified her decision to withdraw and pursue an alternative route. 

A future authentically her own

It’s hard to enjoy your life when you’re not looking forward to your future–whether that’s the next day or the next year. And at a four year university, that can feel like a long investment. For some students, a two year post-secondary credential or apprenticeship is a more suitable option.

Hannah is currently enrolled in the CHAS Health dental assistant apprenticeship program beginning this fall. She is thrilled to be on a path more matched to her needs and goals. “I can start my career and learn my career at the same time,” Hannah says. “I’m really excited!”

While Hannah’s path to hope has not been easy, she says the continued support of her family gives her strength. “I look up to my siblings. They’re my role models,” she says. “They know me better than anyone else … When they showed their support of my choice to pursue something different, I knew it was the right decision to make.”

Hannah hopes to never stop learning. Whether in an apprenticeship setting or within herself. “I feel like I have more of a sense of individuality because I was able to stand up for myself,” Hannah says. “Listening to that voice and questioning what was expected of me changed the way I think about myself. I’m looking forward to my future.”

Read her brother Marcus’s story and her sister Chloe’s story.