Members of the Butler family have put a new spin on that old saying, “The family that stays together… .” For this clan, family togetherness means going back to school.
In the last year, Toni Butler; her son, Dean; her nephew, Keith Allen; and her stepdaughter, Na'Shay Chamberlain, have attended classes at Medtech College in Marietta, where they are pursuing associate degrees and certificates in medical assisting that they hope will lead to jobs in the health care industry.
Much of the motivation for the family selecting Medtech came from Toni Butler’s daughter, Jewel, who is the school’s director of financial aid.
“I think we’re there because of my daughter,” Toni Butler said. “I had heard of Medtech before she went there but didn’t really realize what it was about. She has only had positive things to say about it — about how the teachers are really there to help you, especially if you’re coming back to school after a long time. And it’s true; they have been very supportive.”
Toni Butler, a former mental health technician who lives in Conyers, decided last July that hanging around the house wasn’t what she envisioned for her retirement years.
“I wasn’t just going to sit back and do nothing,” she said. “I’ll get my associate degree in January and I’d like to work in a doctor’s office.”
Her son spent 20 years in the hospitality industry before deciding last spring that he was ready for a change.
“I wanted to open another door,” Dean Butler said. “I had been serving and tending bar for so long and was burned out. I learned about Medtech from my sister, Jewel, and it sounded like a perfect opportunity, especially since everyone needs medical assistants.”
But returning to the classroom after a long absence was frightening, he admitted.
“I was scared out of my mind,” Dean Butler said. “I had never been a good student and the idea of taking the entrance test was horrifying. But I passed, and I’ve had to relearn things, like how to study. I’ve managed to keep a 4.0 (grade point average).
“The best part is the teachers. I have wanted to quit many times, but they have supported me. Now I’m planning on finishing at Medtech and switching to Life (University) to be a chiropractor.”
Having the support of his family was an important motivating factor in his drive to earn a degree, Dean Butler said.
“I’ve had the influence of my sister, who told me I needed to go back to school,” he said. “And having my family there was great. We really helped each other out. Whenever I couldn’t understand something or get a concept, they’d interpret it in a way I could understand. I even had some classes ahead of my mom, so I helped her out with her work, too.”
Toni Butler agreed that having family support has made going back to school a bit easier.
“It’s really been wonderful,” she said. “We’ve been able to encourage each other and ask each other questions. We help each other out. Sometimes when we don’t feel like going on, we get behind each other and offer encouragement.”
Jewel Butler, who has worked at Medtech for three years, sensed that the school’s personal approach to education and ability to work with nontraditional students was a good fit for her family.
“I knew my mother and brother, in particular, would love the classes because we probably have fewer than 25 (students) in each,” she said. “Even though they’re here for different reasons, it’s great that they are doing it for themselves.”
Dean Butler said his sister’s dedication to education was another reason he decided to return to school.
“She has a master’s (degree) and is working on her doctorate, and my other sister just passed the bar,” he said. “They had education and I didn’t, and that made me want to go back.”
Her family’s success has thrilled Toni Butler. “I’m elated that we’re all doing this together,” she said. “I’m very proud of my family.”
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