Celebrating a Member of Simpson Academy’s Class of 2025

From the moment Maria arrived at Simpson Academy for Young Women, she says that it felt like a home. She describes everyone as extremely welcoming and supportive. Simpson is a CPS school specifically designed to support pregnant and parenting students, giving them an opportunity to excel both inside and outside of the classroom. 

That is certainly what happened with Maria. Not only is she graduating from Simpson in a few weeks, but she’s headed off to Loyola University Chicago’s Arrupe College as the next step toward her goal of becoming a social worker. 

We connected with Maria to learn more about her experience at Simpson and hear her advice for other students who are also moms. Learn more about her story below. 

What are some of your interests both inside and outside of the classroom?

I’ve always loved history, and I feel like, at Simpson, if I really like a topic, they let me explore it deeply. Math is hard, but I do like math as well as science. I have a great science teacher. Outside of school, I don’t have time for too much since I’m a mom, but I am part of a band club during school that meets every two weeks. 

Can you share what you are looking forward to most about attending Arrupe College? 

When I got to Simpson, one of the first things I said was that I’m not going to college. I thought I was going to go straight to work. But then I started looking more into college this year with the help of my counselor, Ms. Marsh. I decided that I wanted to stay close to Chicago. My counselor told me that Arrupe might be a good fit because it’s small like Simpson. I toured it, and I liked it a lot. They have really good classes for becoming a social worker. 

What are some of your favorite memories of attending Simpson? 

At first, I thought that I wasn’t going to get to the same level as my peers, especially because I’m an English learner and also have an IEP. However, the one-on-one support I have received here has been amazing. My English has improved so much. Here, I never felt like I was less than others. 

The community here is also so great. They are so supportive of us as moms, helping us with diapers and clothes and providing us with the resources we need to be successful. They really pushed me to graduate and to pursue something else after high school. 

What message do you want to share with other pregnant and parenting students? 

Don’t give up! I know that it can be super hard to balance school, work, and being a mom, but if you were able to give birth, you’re able to overcome anything that stands in your way. Do what you have to do to have a great future for you and your child!