It wasn’t an easy journey raising her kids. Jalyssa Alvarado, a working mother from California, grew up with a tough childhood and became a mom at a young age. For a long time, she and her husband struggled to make ends meet. Now a mother of three daughters, Jalyssa says Save the Children’s Early Steps to School Success program gave her family the fresh start in life they needed. With help from the program, Jalyssa learned she could become her children’s best teacher. Her experience with the program also helped her build the confidence she needed to go back to school and pursue a career as a medical assistant.