Michelle Sharp’s day begins before the sun rises.
At 6 a.m., she flicks on the light switch in the room of her youngest son, Dante Smalls, 11. The single mother gets an hour to cuddle with her Rottweiler, Sasha, and watch the news before it’s her 17-year-old son DeVon Eiland’s turn to wake up.
“Routine schedule, or nothing would get done,” Michelle said.
Part of that routine is talking on the phone with her father, Tom Ball, who’s on the other side of the world serving as a civilian contractor in Iraq. Tom’s a big part of this family’s daily life and a great role model for his two grandsons.
Michelle’s life is more hectic since her father’s departure on Sept. 26. In addition to keeping house and caring for her boys by herself, she spends her days at work at the Family, Morale, Welfare and Recreation Center in Fort Knox and her nights online working toward a master’s degree in human resources from the University of Louisville.
Michelle’s sons share their mother’s academic ambitions. Dante’s hand shoots into the air when his fifth-grade teacher, Jessica Dames, poses questions. DeVon has been offered a partial football scholarship from the University of Kentucky, but the North Hardin High School junior is working toward a full academic scholarship.
“My degree has nothing to do with my job,” Michelle said. “But I want to set an example for my kids.”
