TERRE HAUTE — It took Ciara Krumreich 20 years to earn her high school diploma, and algebra was never easy, she will attest.
But she didn't give up, and she's glad she did.
“I wanted to prove to myself, my kids and others that if you put your mind to it and decide to do something, you can do it,” said the 36-year-old Terre Haute native.
Her efforts paid off: She was hired earlier this year as manager of the St. Ben soup kitchen, a position she needed to earn her high school diploma to get.
When she applied for a kitchen manager position, St. Benedict's business manager Terran Williams and longtime soup kitchen director Judy Hogan encouraged her to get her high school credential.
So she did.
Krummreich began adult education classes through the Vigo County Education Corp. in September and earned her diploma earlier this year.
As a teenager, she didn't finish high school. “I had my son when I was 16. It was hard, and there was no way I could go to school and take care of him at the same time,” she said in an interview during a meal of lunch at a soup kitchen.
The district's adult education programs were “great,” she said. “My teachers were great and very understanding.”
Krumreich said she struggled with math, especially algebra, and initially failed her math test despite passing all her other tests.
“Maths was very difficult. It's completely different now than it was when I was a student,” she said. “There were moments when I cried.”
She thought about quitting, but she didn't give up.
She received private tutoring from Dave Sutliff, a math teacher at Terry Haute North Vigo High School.
“He was a good student,” she says. “I pulled myself together, studied hard with Dave, and ended up passing (the math test) the second time.”
Williams and Hogan encouraged her and told her they wanted her to be a coach. “It makes me want to work harder,” she said.
“It's so rewarding to see people's smiles, to help people, to feed people, to be a part of the community and give back,” Krummreich said. “It's amazing.”
She eats with the soup kitchen guests and knows them by name. She enjoys their company, and they enjoy it too.
Krumreich values her volunteers, many of whom have been there for years and volunteer on the same days each week. “I love all of them with all my heart,” she says.
Lunch is served Monday through Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
“I'm so happy that he got his high school diploma. It was so awesome to watch my son graduate in June,” said Krummreich, whose son graduated from Terre Haute North High School.
When asked about his future goals and aspirations, Krummreich replied, “Those are still in the planning stages. Let's see.”
Hogan, the longtime soup kitchen director, is stepping down “because we have found a highly qualified person to take my place.”
Hogan said Krummreich is the right person for the job.
“She has the right personality to deal with the people that we interact with. She has the experience to provide nutritious meals. She's a great cook. And she works very well with volunteers, which is very important,” Hogan said.
The soup kitchen served more than 2,000 meals in June.
