Michelle Macom, 47, Fort Myers

“People probably think it’s silly at my age to go to school again. I have nine children and started a medical assistant program before my 14-year-old was born. I got As and Bs and made the dean’s list. Then my father-in-law got sick and I had to drop out to care for him. I didn’t have time to have a steady job. I’ve been divorced since May. Any financial help I could get toward school would be phenomenal. I don’t want to start my new life in debt.”