Kathy Wright

Kathy Shaevon Wright didn’t walk a traditional path to graduation—but she never stopped walking. In 2005, she left high school without a diploma. At the time, she was already trying to make it work—enrolling in adult education classes as early as 2003. She made progress. She earned credits. But life, as it often does, got in the way.

Over the next twenty years, her world grew even fuller: seven children, long work hours, and responsibilities that never paused. The dream of graduating never left her—it just had to wait.

Then, in 2024—after nearly two decades away from the classroom—Kathy came back. What changed?

A Bet!

One day, her 11-year-old son Michael looked at her and said, “I bet you won’t graduate before I do.” He said it playfully—but it landed with weight. Kathy took that challenge seriously. She didn’t just commit to finishing school—she committed to showing her kids, and herself, what was possible.

This time, Kathy brought everything she had. She studied after her kids went to sleep, submitting assignments from the kitchen table—and she showed up in class, ready to learn, ready to finish. Her learning lived in two places: her home and our school.

When she returned to Venice Skills Center, our role was clear: support her, believe in her, and help her finish what she started. And she wasn’t alone. Her teachers, Christine Gallardo and Ms. Sousanna Chtchian, stood by her side. It was Ms. Chtchian who helped carry her across the finish line with that final Geometry class.

We at Venice Skills Center wanted her to win that bet—and on May 22, 2025, KathyShaevon Wright crossed the stage, diploma in hand, proving to everyone—especially Michael—that she could do it.

She didn’t just win the bet.

She won back her story.