how can i work my way up to a good college and job

The first step would be to talk to your school counselor about taking interest and aptitude tests to confirm what field would be right for you.
Then you can talk to your counselor about doing volunteer work in areas that you mentioned or areas that fit with you interest and aptitude to confirm fit. Talk to you counselor about visiting people who your counselor knows, perhaps people who went to your school, who can give you more information. Plan high school courses that will support you career interest area. Consider going to a local community college for the first two years. You can get a very education a very good rate without burdening yourself with large student loan. All of your credits will transfer when and if you decide to go to a 4 year college. Many people get a good paying and satisfying job with just a two year degree.
Talk to as many people about your career area, once you have decided on a good fit.
Remember to send a thank you note to anyone who helps you .
I will be happy to keep in touch as needed.
Good luck.

Colleges are not only impressed by your academic performance, but they are also interested in seeing what you do in your personal life. They are interested in your extracurricular activities. Do you volunteer in your community? Do you hold any leadership roles or a position on a school committee? Have you done something or create an something that has helped or benefited others? All of these types of activities gives an admission officer an idea of who you are as a person. It allows them to put a real life person to the application in which it accompanies. So you should create an "Extracurricular Activity Resume." This document is similar to a resume but it's for students. Those who do not yet have working experience. It's a detail list of positions you've held at school and your community and the duties required of those position you've held.

Once you've made it into college, continue to build your "extracurricular Activity Resume". It is important to intern as much as you can. If I were you, I would intern every summer, that's if you're ambitious to create a working resume. Companies consider internships as working experiences. If they see that you've worked hard to gain the skills necessary to become the best professional in your area of study. They maybe more inclined to reach out to you for a interview. Also, employment opportunities may present itself at a company you've interned. Actively interning grows your work experience and allows you to have a competitive edge, setting you apart from your college peers who may not of worked as hard to grow professionally as you.

Best of luck in your academic career and professional career! I think you're already onto a good start by seeking information for your academic and personal growth!

There are many ways to work your way to a "good college." First and foremost, look at colleges that would be a "good fit for you." What works for one person, may not work for another, every person is different, and needs and likes are also different. Since you already know that you want to be a nurse, and you like working with kids, maybe you can be a nurse that specializes in working with children. The next step is to decide what type of nurse you would like to be,,,CNA (6 week training program) LPN (certificate, usually about 12 months), RN (requires at minimum an Associate degree which is two years of college study), BSN (four year degree)? Would you like to eventually go beyond a four year college degree (BSN) and move on to get a Master's degree ( an additional two years, for a total of 6 years). Also, consider finances and educational background...do you have substantial finances to go to college? Also, what is your academic background like? Are you an excellent student where math and science come easy to you, or do you need additional support and assistance with study skills, time management, etc? If money and your academic background need additional support and resources, my suggestion is to start off at your local community college. You can save ALOT of money, and get strong personal, academic and career support. Also, many community colleges have programs that once you have your Associate's degree or your ASN (Associate's in Nursing), you can continue on to a traditional four year college/university and receive your BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing)...some of these programs come with scholarships, guaranteed admissions, etc....Lastly, I would also suggest checking out a website "collegeboard.org" This website allows you to set criteria for what you want in a college based on many factors such as location, price, majors, population, etc, and will allow you to narrow down choices if you have a few different ideas of places you would like to attend.