Irene Verdusco

Inspired by her love of animals, Irene Verdusco knew she either had to go back to school or give up on her dreams.

"I have a goal to work at the zoo. I can't do that without a high school diploma," she said.

The youngest of eight children, Irene said her family moved around a lot and that it wasn't easy for her mother to make sure all her children were doing well in school. Eventually, she said, Irene started using drugs and going to class less and less.

"It kept me isolated and from doing the things I wanted to do in life," she said. "I always loved school. I just chose the wrong path."

Irene said she decided to get help a few years ago and "that opened up a lot of doors for me." Besides supporting getting her life on track, Irene said her drug treatment program suggested she earn her high school equivalency.

"I just told myself, 'You can do this.' It doesn't matter what age you are, if you put your mind to it, you can do it," she said. "And it's something I've always wanted to do."

Going back to school after so many years was intimidating at first, she said, and Irene wasn't sure if she would fit in with the other students. 

"There were younger students there but there were also older students too, so I said, 'We're all here to try to achieve the same goal,'" she said.

Once she got over her nerves, Irene said she had to get down to business. After failing her first practice tests, Irene said she just kept studying harder and harder. After a few weeks, Irene said, she started enjoying being a student again.

"I couldn't wait to go to school in the morning," Irene said. "I felt like I was in high school or junior high school. It was amazing...and the teachers made me want to do it even more."

While in her High School Equivalency program, Irene said she lost five loved ones in six months, including her mother and brother. Her instructors offered her a leave of absence, but she refused, knowing she needed to keep her mind busy and not delay her education anymore. At one point, she said, she had to travel to a funeral but still managed to attend class online.

"There were a lot of times that I wanted to give up," Irene said. "But I just kept those goals in front of me, and I just kept doing it until I completed it."

Irene graduated from her High School Equivalency program in November 2022 and is now working hard to achieve her dream of working in a zoo. Besides taking online animal behavior classes and earning various animal care certifications, Irene volunteers at an animal shelter in Pasadena.

Clean and sober for the past three years, Irene said she could not believe it when she graduated from the Academy and "rang the gong." Even though she had accomplished so much recently, Irene said there were constant doubts she had to fight through and overcome.

"I always thought in the back of my mind, 'You're too old. You can't finish school. You'll never be able to do it.' But I just put that out of my mind. And kept doing it," she said. "It's never too late."