Journey

I am 16 years old and from the small town of Snyder, Texas. I first heard of Texas Challenge Academy from a friend of my mother. She showed us TCA’s website, and I thought it looked interesting.

My mom thought it would be good for me to come so that I could get away from the distractions at my home. We signed up in mid-June and weren’t sure if I would get in this cycle. When I did get accepted, we got the boots and other supplies that I needed. When July 13 came and we were packing up the car, my girlfriend came to say goodbye to me. The crazy thing was that before she came it was pouring rain, but when she arrived, it stopped. I think that the sky was matching our emotions.

Leaving was made harder because my mother didn’t know about us at the time, but she does know now. On July 16, when the day arrived to leave, I didn’t want to go, but I pushed myself. When I met my first Team Leader, Thomas, I felt better. Even though she is no longer a team leader, I hope she knows how thankful I am for her. TL Ambeau and TL Cardenas were the tougher ones. They yelled at us the moment we got here. But once we got to know them, they were really kind. It’s hard to believe that we are in week 15 already.

We started with 32 girls, but only 28 remain as of today. I am proud of myself for coming. It has changed the way that I think, act, cope and the way that I treat others. It has also taught me how to say no to things that I do not want to do. We leave here in December, but to be honest, I don’t want to go home. It’s crazy, but this place feels like home.

Hopefully in the future, I can come back to TCA and work as a TL or a Cadre Supervisor. If not, I hope to be a mechanic in the military. I know this is early to say, but I want to thank the staff and teachers of TCA who have helped me deal with my personal problems and finish this program.