This is graduation season for thousands of Georgia college students, and many of metro Atlanta's high school students are receiving diplomas this week. For many, transitioning from high school to college will be seamless. But for others, like Bonnie Johnson, it can be bumpy, leading them to delay college or take time off once they get there.

Johnson earned an associate’s degree and was on the way to completing her bachelor’s degree.

But a series of events, beginning with the birth of her son born with a mild form of cerebral palsy, forced Johnson to put her education on hold. When the baby was born, “I knew I needed to work after the associate’s degree to make money,” she said. “The bachelor’s degree had to wait.”

Emerge, an Atlanta nonprofit organization, is helping women like Johnson whose higher education has been derailed due to hardships.

Read more about Emerge and Bonnie Johnson's story at myAJC.com.

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