{"id":116691,"date":"2025-03-07T01:30:30","date_gmt":"2025-03-07T01:30:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/peraltafinancing.com\/alabama\/how-this-mom-of-2-child-services-worker-is-now-pursuing-her-dream-of-being-an-attorney\/"},"modified":"2025-03-07T01:30:30","modified_gmt":"2025-03-07T01:30:30","slug":"how-this-mom-of-2-child-services-worker-is-now-pursuing-her-dream-of-being-an-attorney","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=116691","title":{"rendered":"How this mom of 2 + child services worker is now pursuing her dream of being an attorney"},"content":{"rendered":"


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April will soon pursue her law degree after putting her dreams on the back burner for 17 years to focus on supporting her family.<\/p>\n

Keep reading to see why she decided now was her time to\u00a0finish her degree\u00a0and make her dreams a reality, plus how she is training for her new career.<\/p>\n

Meet April Warren<\/h2>\n
\"April
April Warren on the steps of the Athens Limestone Courthouse. (Peyton Kingsbury \/ Hville Blast)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

April started her Criminal Justice degree 17 years ago while also working and being a mom but made the difficult decision to press pause on her college education to prioritize her daughters.<\/p>\n

Since then, April has led an admirable career in child services in Albertville, helping investigate child abuse cases and providing resources to families in need.<\/p>\n

April found her passion in child services and desired to deepen her impact by pursuing a law degree. Thus, the idea of finishing her degree came knocking.<\/p>\n

Now that her kids are leaving the nest, April realized it was time to put herself first and finish her degree.<\/p>\n

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I always put myself on the back burner as a mom, and a lot of moms do that. I was always thinking of the bigger picture\u2014once my kids graduate, I\u2019ll take care of me last. So once my oldest moved out, I realized it\u2019s time for me to do what is best for me right now. I can have something better for them, and for myself.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

April Warren, Criminal Justice student at Athens State<\/em><\/p>\n

From child services to family law: the road to finishing her degree<\/h2>\n
\"April
April gave us a tour of the new CASELab learning lab at Athens State. (Peyton Kingsbury \/ Hville Blast)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Finding her passion<\/h4>\n

April has spent her career in child welfare at Marshall County Department of Human Resources, with ten years in Child Protective Services and seven in the Child Support Unit.<\/p>\n

After spending time in the court room and working with attorneys, April discovered she wants to help families on the legal side.<\/p>\n

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Throughout my career, I worked with families on reunification of children, investigations with ongoing foster care and and now I\u2019m helping with child support. I\u2019ve always been intrigued with investigations, and working in child welfare has opened up my desire to become an attorney.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

April Warren, Criminal Justice student at Athens State<\/em><\/p>\n

Finding the right program at Athens State<\/h4>\n

April consulted with several attorneys in her network before landing on Criminal Justice as the right path.<\/p>\n

When she heard about Athens State\u2019s affordable and flexible\u00a0Criminal Justice program<\/a>, she was ready to take the next step.<\/p>\n

Making the most of what Athens State has to offer<\/h2>\n
\"Athens
April enjoys the flexibility of a degree at Athens State. (Peyton Kingsbury \/ Hville Blast)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Loving the flexible degree + support<\/h4>\n

April has been taking classes online from her home in Albertville but has still felt very supported.<\/p>\n

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Every professor I\u2019ve had so far at Athens State has been very accommodating. One of my favorite professors I had last semester, Mr. Jeff Purcell, worked in law enforcement and met with me during office hours every week. They make themselves very available, even though we\u2019re online.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

April Warren, Criminal Justice student at Athens State<\/em><\/p>\n

Getting involved on campus<\/h4>\n

Being a remote student hasn\u2019t stopped April from being involved on campus and building a strong network.<\/p>\n

She serves as the President of both the Criminal Justice Student Association and the Pre-Law Society at Athens State. She travels to campus at least once a month for various events and still feels quite connected.<\/p>\n

How April is learning form Athens State\u2019s new CASELab<\/h2>\n

Swipe through for a look inside Athens State\u2019s new training lab. (Peyton Kingsbury \/ Hville Blast)<\/p>\n

About CASELab: Crime Analyzation, Simulation and Experimentation Laboratory<\/h4>\n

The\u00a0CASELab\u00a0opened in 2024 and is a house-turned-learning lab right next to Athens State\u2019s campus. The space serves students studying Homeland and Corporate Security, Criminal Justice and Child Advocacy.<\/p>\n

The CASELab replicates real-world scenarios, giving students opportunities to conduct crime scene reenactments, academic research and mock case simulations.<\/p>\n

CASELab rooms train students for:<\/strong><\/p>\n