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Daniel and Charity Hollander

ABE students Daniel and Charity Hollander

January 25, 2021

Brother and sister duo, Daniel and Charity Hollander, are a couple of extremely hard workers who recently earned their HSEs through the VU Adult Basic Education Program. They have had to overcome obstacle after obstacle to get where they are today, but they have persevered and held onto their faith and each other through it all. Their story is powerful and inspiring.

There were many setbacks that came our way during our early teenage years which prevented us from completing our education the “traditional” way. Growing up, we were always homeschooled which was a great option for us until our dad was injured and our house burned down within a couple months of each other.

Dad’s accident happened when he was on a construction job. His arm was deeply wounded, and he was no longer able to work. We were left without income, and mom had little time to teach us because she was responsible for taking care of dad and making sure the bills were paid. Then when our house burned down, our family’s problems multiplied. 

In the midst of dad’s healing and our family spending all our time building our new home, we fell behind in school. We ended up moving out at the ages of sixteen and eighteen. At that point, we were just trying to make ends meet.

Eventually, we were able to focus on our education again, but we were two to three years behind. That’s when we decided to go a different route and work toward earning our HSEs.

D: It was a challenge to fully commit to my education at first, but my life changed when I started coming to school here. I always looked forward to coming back and learning more each day.

C: For a long time I felt like I had no hope in achieving anything. I knew I had to overcome the fear of being a failure. I met Sharleen (Evansville Coordinator) at the perfect time; she was a breath of fresh air and really motivated me by saying that I have a willingness to learn that not everyone has. The encouragement I received from her and my sister really helped kindle the fire in me to want to learn; I finally felt like I was able to accomplish more.

D: After coming to class in Evansville for a few months, I was ready to take the official test. I found out that I passed everything except math. I wasn’t worried because I knew Marsha would help me understand the concepts so that I could pass. I improved in math so much from the beginning to the end and was able to pass math on my third try in September, 2020.

C: Like Daniel, I also passed everything except math on my first try. Marsha and Alex would encourage me when I would get a problem right and remind me not to overthink which gave me more confidence. I passed math on my second try in February, 2020!

D: Having my HSE makes me feel accomplished and more prepared for my adult life.

C: My HSE reminds me that I finished something! When I was homeschooled, I wondered if anyone actually knew that I did something, but now it is on record that I did. When people ask me if I went to school, I can say, “Yes, I graduated!”

D: I’m not sure what God has planned for my future, but I am excited about it! I could see myself being a Christian minister to youth. God gave me that desire and has called me to do that. I love the feeling of helping young people learn to live right.

C: Daniel and I have worked in construction for several years, and I will continue to do that for a while. My goal is to counsel young women; I can’t wait to help them grow spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and physically!

It was a blessing for us to work toward our education together. We had always done school together, and we got to finish together! We hope to encourage others to lean on God through everything, and if you are wanting to get your HSE, be ready to commit! If you commit to it, you can do it.

It is no exaggeration to say that these two left a mark on our hearts. They always had great attitudes and smiles on their faces. They quickly dug their feet in and did what needed to be done in order to graduate. The day they came in to share their story with us, they brought flowers with them, sang a beautiful hymn, and read a poem they wrote which left us in tears:

I wish every life you touched came back to give you credit,

And every person you have enhanced, your wisdom they would not discredit.

Because your character has given us a reputation to admire,

In hopes that one day, like you, others we would inspire.

YOU inspire US, Daniel and Charity!!

Congratulations and best of luck to you both!