Destiny Barnett is a WLC JumpStart graduate who plans to own a photography studio one day.  As a 23 year old single parent, Destiny is determined to give her 3 year old daughter Sage all of the opportunities she didn’t have growing up. Whether that means gymnastics lessons, or anything else that lets her explore her interests, Destiny wants to provide an array of options for Sage to figure out her passions.

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Destiny came to WLC through the D.C. Department of Health Services (DHS) with the goal of better understanding her work and educational options.  After she received her high school diploma from the Friendship Collegiate Academy, Destiny attended the University of Hartford in Connecticut for a semester and also took online photography classes through the Academy of Art.  After she became pregnant, she took a break from her education to focus on being a new mom.  With Sage off to school next fall, Destiny will then focus on taking what she learned from her WLC caseworker, Brenda, and launch her photography career.

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“Brenda taught us all how to distinguish what our learning styles are so that we can best understand how to help ourselves, which I think is really important.  I found out through a quiz that I’m a visual learner, which was really fun to learn and that helped me understand what I want to do with my life,” said Destiny.  “We had a great class, we were all very positive and supportive of one another.”

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Destiny’s family has served as a support network for her by encouraging her interest in photography while also helping her take care of Sage. When asked if she had advice to pass along to other young adults, she shared, “You are not defined by your circumstances. Don’t be too proud to accept help, whether the assistance is through scholarships, financial aid, or educational and work guidance through programs like JumpStart. If you can get something for free or get help of any kind, take it and don’t be ashamed.  Take the opportunities that come to you and do what you gotta do.”