Student Stories - Shanay Moore
For some, getting trained in a new trade is a choice to embark on a new adventure. For Shanay Moore, it’s a life-and-death fight to make sure her family survives.
As a single mother of three, Moore makes sure her kids’ needs are met before her own, and that they have a comfortable life. “We’ve had to start over from scratch after being involved in a house fire last year,” she says, “and now we are doing everything we can to keep our heads above water.”
Moore is a local Gorge resident, having grown up in Parkdale, Oregon, and now residing in White Salmon, Washington. This fall, she started in the inaugural cohort of the Construction Technology program at CGCC.
“Most of my life I’ve grown up into uncertainty and self-doubt,” says Moore. She chose Construction Technology because she wanted to gain skills and education that would fast-track her into a stable trade. “Being able to take this next step for my future, and the future of my children means everything to me. We have a chance to live better and to be better.”
“I am inspired by looking ahead into my future and seeing my family living a life that I can be proud of,” she continues. “I grew up in an unstable, unloving home, where we always struggled. The thought of being in a comfortable place, being confident in knowing that my children and my needs are well taken care of, brings me a sense of peace.”
Her children may have inspired her to seek education and training, but Moore also hopes she will be an inspiration to others. “I see myself working in a trade as a successful, determined, hard working woman. My goal is to truly know my worth and to be an inspiration, showing others the rewards of working hard.”
Part of what made that possible for her was the Metallica Scholars Initiative. On her instructor’s advice, she applied for the MSI scholarship, which provides CGCC students in the Construction Technology, Advanced Manufacturing, and Electro-Mechanical Technology programs with a scholarship for partial tuition and covers 80% of their tool costs.
“Saying ‘thank you’ doesn’t measure up to the immense amount of gratitude I have for this amazing gift,” says Moore. “I am honored to be selected as a Scholar for this foundation. I wouldn’t be able to achieve my goals without it.”
The foundation in question is All Within My Hands, a nonprofit established in 2017 by members of the band Metallica as a way to give back to the communities that supported the band. CGCC was a recipient of the 2021 cohort of grants to community colleges, administered by the American Association of Community Colleges, which provided funding for the school to offer scholarships to students in trade-oriented programs.
For Moore and other Metallica Scholars at CGCC, the future is brighter. “I truly cannot wait to see where this road will take us,” she says. “Thank you all so much for providing the means to help me take this next step to a better tomorrow.”
For more information on All Within My Hands, visit https://www.allwithinmyhands.org/