New beginnings through education.

Sky Franklin

Survivor Story.

Sponsored by All Access Care of Ludington. Located at 329 N. Jebavy Dr. in Ludington; 231-425-4544; www.all-access-care.com.

By Kate Krieger. Senior Correspondent.

LUDINGTON – For 25 year-old Ludington resident, Scarlette “Sky” Franklin, finding success hasn’t been an easy road. Moving to Ludington from Las Vegas at the age of 9, Sky has met a lot of adversities while trying to navigate her way through being a teenager and growing up into a driven young woman.

Her family has struggled with many different addictions and personal issues, leaving her a lot of the time with no one really to turn to for motivation or assistance.

“It was really hard to come here,” she said. “My mother and brother got into some trouble and I didn’t want to be around that.”

While she was running away from the drama at home, she started hanging around with the wrong crowd and in this crowd is where she met her ex-boyfriend and father of her now 5-year-old son, Nathaniel, she said.

“I was 16 when I met my son’s father,” Sky said. “We were together for 8 years and it just continued to go downhill and it became too much for me, so I finally left.”

She said her ex remained a great father to Nathaniel, but they just couldn’t find that happy medium in their relationship; they still remain friends.

“Everything he’s done has been for his kids,” she said. “We are better off apart.”

Sky’s mother died in 2008; Sky said she never forgave her for all the bad decisions she made over raising Sky. But she said she knew there was one thing that she could do for her mom, even though she was no longer living and that was to be the first person in her family to complete an education.

Struggling to find happiness and stability, Sky decided to look into going back to school. She said she tried going back to school four years ago, but she then suffered from some health problems and couldn’t continue. She was sick of balancing working part-time at minimum wage and being a full-time mom, she decided that even though she knew it would be difficult, going to school and getting her diploma was the best option for her and her son. She enrolled in the adult education program at Mason County Central Schools.

“I’ve been fending for myself since I was 16, with the help from my son’s father,” Sky said. “Coming back to school, they really motivated me. I really needed a kick in the butt from Betty Lott (one of the teachers). I really didn’t have any faith in myself. I basically had the mentality of a fourth grader. I was acting like a brat.”

With a big reality check from staff, Sky finally realized that she could do anything she put her mind to, especially juggling being a mother, an employee and a student.

“My goal is I want that diploma,” she said. “I pushed myself so hard when I first started. I had two jobs and it was very stressful at first, but now working one job and doing this, it’s hard, but I know I can do it.”

Sky credits Denise Jones and Betty Lott from adult education for much of her ongoing success and motivation. She also stated that she was able to discover that she suffered from a learning disability and the women have been very helpful in catering to her needs to assist her on her education journey.

“Both women were a big part of me moving away from the negativity and starting over,” Sky said. “It’s an amazing feeling to coming back here.”

Sky came back to school in September and hopes to finish by next spring.

“I’m all my son really has,” she said. “You need to have goals in life to accomplish something. No matter what t takes, I’m going to reach those goals.”

With her positive attitude and ambitions, Sky said moving away from the negative lifestyle of her past and sticking her head in the books has really given her a new outlook on life.

“I have a much better attitude,” she said. “I’ve lost friends and family to drugs and I don’t want that. I’m learning the meaning of life. I never thought I could experience what I have now.”

With a new significant other in her life, Sky said he has given her a lot of support and really motivates her to continue pursuing her dreams.

“I want to study cosmetology and culinary when I’m done,” she said. “There are so many kids out there who have gone through what I’ve gone through. They need to realize they can still move forward and accomplish anything. I’ve got to keep doing it. I’m really bettering my life right now.”