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VIEWPOINT OF A TEXAS CHALLENGE ACADEMY CADET
People have asked me what my reasons were for coming to Texas ChalleNGe Academy. To be honest, I never really knew until I started thinking about it, but I know now that the reason I came here was to prevent me from going down the same road my parents travelled.
Before coming here, I was living with my grandparents. My biological parents gave up custody to my grandparents, but my father is now living with us. He lost his job at the plant because he was drinking on the job. My mother is out of my life completely because she died due to a methamphetamine overdose.
My father is a heavy drinker and when he gets drunk, I try to leave the house and go and explore the canyons in Borger, Texas with my cousin. Borger is a small town near Amarillo. We leave because he can become very abusive. He gets loud and mean. When I get out of the house, I can escape from that and get my mind straight.
Unfortunately, one time when he was drunk, I didn’t leave. He and I had an altercation that got so heated that my grandma tried to break us apart. She ended up hurting her leg. Living this way made me sure that I needed a change.
I knew I didn’t want to end up following my father’s footprints, so I came here to TCA. Ever since being here, I have been given a second chance. I am learning new skills and getting my education. Even though my grandma has told me that my father hasn’t changed since I came here, I know I have, and that is what I can control.
I plan on making my grandparents proud of me and completing the program and having a life we can all be proud of. I know that being here at TCA will allow me to do just that.
