COEUR d’ALENE — Amanda Harris wears many hats: Childcare worker, college student with plans to become a teacher, single mom of two great kids.

People often ask how she manages it all.

“I don’t actually know how I do it,” she said. “I give all the glory to God.”

When Harris set out on her educational journey, she had recently completed a rehab program and knew her life had to change. She wanted to grow as a person and set a better example for her kids, 11-year-old Elwood and 2-year-old Hannah.

“I had a ‘come to Jesus’ moment and said, ‘I’m going to school to be a teacher — can you help me on this path?” she said. “I think he helps me every semester.”

Harris, 35, has since graduated from North Idaho College and is now studying at Lewis-Clark State College. She looks forward to becoming a teacher and helping kids develop into successful young people.

“That is something I’m passionate about,” she said. “The best place for me would be working with kids and being that supportive adult. Some kids don’t have that at home.”

There have been challenges along the way, but she’s overcome them and kept moving forward.

“I have a lot of support and positive role models in life,” she said.

Some of that support came from the Center for New Directions at North Idaho College, which is designed to help single parents and displaced homemakers reach their educational and career goals.

“These women are so impressive,” said director Louisa Rogers. “They have overcome such hardships. Oftentimes, they’ve gone through abuse. They haven’t given up. They’re demonstrating to their children what resiliency is and what hard work looks like.”

Many of the women Rogers meets through the Center for New Directions are parenting solo while working full-time and studying for a degree or certification that will enable them to provide for their families.

Each woman’s life story is unique, but Rogers observed how they all share things in common and many felt isolated as single parents. Rogers helped connect them and has seen strong friendships bloom.

“There’s a really cool community of women who really do lean on each other,” she said.

Rogers sees it firsthand. The Center for New Directions hosts family events where she gets to meet the children of the women who receive support from the program.

“Their kids admire and love their moms because they see how hard they’re working,” Rogers said. “(These moms) are going to do great things with their lives and they’re raising kids who see the value of hard work and sacrifice.”

When a mom perseveres and succeeds, she uplifts her children, too.

Harris spoke proudly about her kids. Elwood is growing up fast and she’s excited to see him enter middle school.

“He’s a really good kid,” she said.

Hannah is an outgoing toddler who loves going to the park with her mom on homework breaks.

“She’s a little social butterfly,” she said.

Above all, Harris said she wants to be a supportive influence in the lives of her children and aims to set a good example for them.

“I hope that my kids learn that they can follow their heart and their dreams at any point in their life,” she said. “If they fall down, they can get back up.”