In need of a reset

Being at Texas ChalleNGe Academy was goal that I set for myself. I voluntarily joined the Academy and am happy that I made the decision to come here. I have learned from being here that some cadets were somewhat forced to attend, but for me that wasn’t the case.

I am originally from Sacramento, California. I learned a lot about the word resilience as life was pretty hard for me. My brothers and I were always bouncing around from place to place, sometimes staying with my mom, sometimes with my grandmother.

Many people don’t know how it feels to always worry about where you are staying or where your next meal will come from. It is a pretty hard way to live, but it does make you strong. It can also cause you to isolate yourself from others and from your feelings.

On Aug. 4, 2021, my brothers and I came to live in San Antonio with my Tio and Tia. I want to thank them for welcoming us into their home and becoming our new parent figures. They have given us the stability that we need.

Now that I am at TCA, I have a new and fresh restart and a different view on my life. It’s not easy being in a bay full of girls with different emotions and attitudes, but I am learning to adjust. I have set some goals for myself while I am here which are to get physically fit, earn extra credits, and to work on not isolating myself from my feelings or from others.

After I leave TCA, I will be attending high school and will be in my junior year. After I graduate, I would like to attend the United States Marine Corps. In spite of everything that has happened in my life, I now have hope and can’t wait to see what great opportunities are out there for me.