Dunkirk native Linda Bonilla has battled adversity and was able to attain her GED during the pandemic. She’s currently enrolled in the E2CCB Cosmetology program at the LoGuidice Educational Center. Submitted photos

FREDONIA — The COVID-19 pandemic, and the ongoing dominoes falling as a result, impacted everyone in a variety of ways. For one Fredonia mother, however, it turned out to be a blessing in disguise and a chance to make something of herself.

To understand Linda Bonilla’s journey through adversity you’d have to go back 17 years when she became a mother at the age of 16.

“I’ve always wanted to be a cosmetologist since high school, but I became pregnant at a young age so I wasn’t able to go back to school. … I didn’t have that support,” she said. “I started working and took care of my daughter at 18.”

Bonilla, now a mother of two, has a 17-year-old senior and a 7-year-old son in second grade at Fredonia. Years later, after dropping out of high school herself, she made attempts to earn her GED, but between working full-time and motherhood it never became a reality despite the work she put in.

And then, for a time, New York Pause and the pandemic turned everyone’s lives upside down.

Dunkirk native Linda Bonilla has battled adversity and was able to attain her GED during the pandemic. She’s currently enrolled in the E2CCB Cosmetology program at the LoGuidice Educational Center. Submitted photos

Its greatest gift to Bonilla? Time.

“I was laid off from my job at Walmart, so I looked at it as an opportunity to get my GED while I was collecting unemployment,” she said. “I mean, why not? I was sitting at home doing nothing. … It was the perfect opportunity to do something with myself.”

Months into unemployment, Bonilla stopped into the Dunkirk Community Learning Center which houses the Erie 2-Chautauqua-Cattaraugus BOCES Adult Education programs. It was there where she reacquainted herself with Beth Bradley.

“Linda was a delight to work with in class,” said Beth Bradley, E2CCB adult education teacher. “I love seeing what our students do after they complete our program, it makes us feel great, that we were able to help them on the next step of their journey.”

Between the work Bonilla had accumulated over the years toward earning her GED, and with assistance from Bradley, her goal of earning her diploma became a reality.

“I want to be someone,” Bonilla said when asked why she returned to school. “I want to give my kids a better future.”

After earning her GED, Bonilla enrolled in the E2CCB Career and Technical Education Cosmetology program at the LoGuidice Educational Center.

“This is what I want to do. Hopefully, I can open my own salon someday,” she said.

Bonilla continued to work part-time through the pandemic for the Chautauqua County Home and has continued to battle through adversity while enrolled in the Cosmetology program.

“I just recently lost my grandmother and she was like a mom to me,” she said. “I’m trying to be Superwoman — trying to be happy, be strong, move forward, go to school, take care of my kids and I’m trying to be positive but it’s hard … so hard.”

Moving forward includes keeping her eye on the prize which includes earning her cosmetology license and providing for her children, a sentiment that isn’t lost on her own daughter.

“She’s proud of me. She’s proud of me and she’s been a big help with her little brother. Sometimes she’ll help me with my home work because she’s smarter than me, she’s been in school longer,” Bonilla quipped.

Typically, as an adult, one might reflect on their high school years and thinks about what-ifs. The unique situation of having an adult education student enrolled in a CTE program with high school students is that sometimes it can give high schoolers a unique perspective into how their life may or may not play out. For Bonilla, she’s been able to already use her past experiences as teachable moments for her new classmates.

“I talked to a girl who wanted to drop out of this class and I said you know what, I sit here and look at you guys and see some of you care and some of you don’t care but you’ll regret this in the future (if you don’t care),” she said. “You’re going to say I wish I went back and finished school. You can’t get a good job if you don’t have a diploma. Finish school, focus, and don’t chase boys, chase your dreams.”

The Adult Basic Education and Cosmetology programs are some of the many available to adult learners. E2CCB programs include Practical Nursing, Phlebotomy, Commercial Driver’s License, Personal Care Aide, and a variety of other in-demand training opportunities. For more information about current programming, contact Kim Snyder, Senior Program Operations Specialist, at (716) 549-4454 ext. 4055 or email ksnyder@e2ccb.org.

“Our Adult Education program that we offer to the public is one of the many great programs we have available and it brings us joy to be able to help people graduate high school,” Bradley said.

“It’s never too late,” Bonilla added.