MonticelloLive

Shanna grew up in McGeehee with her mother who worked in a local restaurant. Shanna attended school in McGeehee. She married at a young age and found that she had to quit school and join the work force. In 1992 she dropped out of school in eleventh grade and worked as a waitress. Her husband was in the military which caused her to move to Oklahoma soon after she married. There she worked at the Great American Food Company where she decorated cookies. In 1996 she moved back to McGeehee. Soon after that she had her first son, Colby, who was born in 1997. She had another son, Blake, in 2001. But it was is in that same year her marriage ended.

Shanna traveled to different states in the years following her divorce. She lived in Oklahoma for a while where she worked at a postal store. She also lived in New Mexico and went back to waiting tables at a restaurant. She wanted to live in the southwest for a change in her life but found that she did not like the terrain. She not only missed the trees and grass but also her family, so she moved back to Arkansas in 2006.

One of the main reasons she moved back home was to help with her grandparents, Geraldine and Orlando Cingolani. She now lives down the street from her grandparents. This puts her near by to help them with their house or when they need someone to take them to the doctor. They are not the only ones who benefit. Shanna’s sons enjoy spending time with their grandparents as well.

Since moving back to Arkansas Shanna has realized how hard it is to get a job with a meaningful salary and benefits without a high school diploma. This spurred her on to get her GED. She wanted to be able to have a job that would support her family and also be able to start saving for her children’s education.

After the help of Monticello Adult Education, Shanna passed the GED test and received her Arkansas High School Diploma this past Thursday night. Her family and children were present and proud of her accomplishments. Shanna feels it is never too late to succeed. She plans to further her education in the fall by enrolling at UAM. Her goal is to become a nurse. The Adult Education philosophy that education enhances the ability to effect positive changes in lives is proven true for our one Monticello life - Shanna Cingolani.