Life doesn’t always go as planned. For many women, education gets put on hold to care for family, work, or simply get through tough times. But thanks to a program from the Bureau of Women’s Affairs, those dreams don’t have to stay on pause. 

The I Ninametgot Famalåo’an scholarship is helping women on Guam complete high school and take the next step toward a stronger future.

This Spring, seven women earned their adult high school diplomas at the Guam Community College commencement and received $500 scholarships for crossing the finish line. 

BWA Director Jayne Flores said, “I worked at Guam Community College as the Assistant Director of Communications for almost 10 years. And historically, the high school graduation rate at GCC had been pretty low. We just couldn’t get adult high school graduates or earners to finish.

“I wanted to give them an incentive to finish. So I thought, ‘What if we do a program where when you complete it you get $500 as a scholarship,’” added Flores. 

That money can help pay for things like clearances, work clothes, or child care. Anything that helps graduates start their next chapter.

Started in 2022 with ARP funding, the program is now fully backed by bwa’s local budget. 

So far, 28 women have graduated.

One of the most recent is Victoria Cruz.

After losing her father, Victoria dropped out of high school.

“I always wanted to graduate, I always wanted to have more education. I had dreams,” said Cruz. “Then time passed, I got a boyfriend, and I had kids. It wasn’t about me anymore so, I put away a lot of things. I forgot about myself and the things I wanted.”

About ten years ago she tried going back, but the timing, and stigma about going back, got in the way.

“I saw one of my friends go through the program and she graduated. It really changed my opinion of the whole program so I went back in,” added Cruz. 

And just as Victoria's friend inspired her, perhaps Victoria's story can be an inspiration to others too.

Post-grad, she’s working and proud to finally say she’s a high school graduate.

“You’ve just got to look at yourself, what you want, and surround yourself with people that are actually going to cheer you on,” said Cruz. “I’m just so thankful for the job that I do have because applying at other places, the first thing they ask is, ‘Are you a high school graduate?’ and I couldn’t say that [before].”

“What is it that you want and if you think that you can’t get it now, what are the steps you can take today? One step closer is a step closer,” she added. 

The scholarship program accepts women 18 and older enrolled in accredited adult high school programs, whether on Guam or online

For more information, contact the Bureau of Women’s Affairs at [email protected] or give Jayne Flores a call 671-483-6409.