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Angelica's Story

Feb 01, 2024

ANGELICA's STORY

My name is Angelica and I am 17 years old. I like a little bit of rock music and R &B. Most of the time I listen to murder mystery podcasts. It’s not soothing but it is something interesting to listen to when I do my hair, cook for myself or clean.


Getting my GED. I took a test for reading and passed. Now I have science, math, social studies, writing and ELA. I hope to finish by the end of the school year. After I get my GED, I want to take a year to focus on my interests. When I turn 18.5, I might leave the facility and transfer to independent living. I want to be in extended foster care to help me get on my feet and learn adulting properly since I do not have an adult family member to help me like children who have family. I’m by myself but extended foster care will help me in emergencies and with doctor’s appointments and stuff like that.


My mom died and my dad was killed. I didn’t know him except that he was a liar and a deceiver, and nobody believed me when I told them about him. I came into care in 2021 because I lived in a toxic environment. After I ran away from there and when I refused to return, the police brought me to the group home and I’ve lived here ever since. I’m thinking it was for the best for me because I was not necessarily at home. I was somewhere where I could get kicked out at any moment. Foster care was better than that. I’ve heard bad things about foster care, but everyone’s experience is different, and it’s been good for me. The place I’ve been put, I’m grateful for. God gave me a chance at a better life. I have more opportunities here. I have everything that I need and sometimes they give me things that I want. 


If I needed help, I could call Ms. Arielle and Ms. Darinesha [employees at the group home]. I don’t know what that means, if you mean someone to talk to, then maybe my CASA.


I don’t know what I want to do career-wise but I want to work at Wal-Mart so I can make money to do something special for myself. I’m going to save every dime and put it in my saving account so I can go on a camping trip or race car driving. My goal amount to save is $10K. I have over 25% of that.


April 12, 2023 – Banding Day!

I needed braces because I felt that my confidence level would go up. Before I had them, I was frowning a lot and I didn’t want people to talk to me because I felt that if I opened my mouth I would be judged. I had gaps and I felt worthless and insecure without braces. A lot of kids in elementary talked about my clothes so I was already very self-conscience about how I looked. I was sad and depressed about it. Teeth are a really important part of the face.


I know that process is hard but as it has gone on, they closed the gap and I made two friends. People started to notice me because I opened my mouth. I never had money to get them but now I have them and they’re mine. I’m very happy to have braces. I’m not conscious of my mouth and even though my mouth sticks out, it’s okay because people know I’m getting things done about my spaces. It makes me want to have friends.


At first, I took it seriously, but after having braces for a while I started not to take it as seriously. Then I went to the dentist, and he said I had to do better and what’s the point of having straight teeth if my jaw is slanted. So I said to myself, “Why waste this woman’s money?” and now I brush, floss and wear my rubber bands seriously.



Last Thoughts:

I am thankful for the people who decided to donate to help me get the braces. I am thankful for you, Ms. Lacy, because you are the person who made this happen. Without you, who is helping the process? No one. So, I am thankful for you. 

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My name is Jocelyn and I’m 17 years old. My playlist consists of Korn and Metallica. In my free time I like playing Pokémon, watching Anime, reading Manga and listening to music. They are the things I do to practice self-care. I have crooked teeth. I think that it would help me with my speaking because I have a lisp. I just want straight teeth. I’m probably going to work at like the mall or something. I’m thinking at Hot Topic. I don’t know if I want to go to school or anything. I came into care because my mom was mentally ill. She’s schizo-affective bi-polar, some other things like that. My bio dad died when I was like 3. After high school I'm probably going to work at the mall or something. I don't know if I want to go to school or something. My foster care experience overall was probably like okay but my first one was bad because they didn’t know anything about mental health and stuff like that. They were just like really hateful. They would compare their experience, or my old foster mom would compare her experiences and childhood trauma with ours. She was overall super childish and inappropriate. I have ADHD, she acted like I didn’t have it. There just wasn’t an effort to be compassionate or educate themselves about mental health. In my current foster home, they’re patient and the they know about mental health, like taking medication and know about that type of stuff. Foster care has made my life better because I feel like I opened up better (with my current placement), I am learning how to be an adult – like driving practice. If there was one thing I would change about foster care it would be mental health awareness. I feel like there can be more done with how the foster homes are chosen, like educating them about autism, disorders, and trauma and stuff like that. I wish my first foster home were more educated and understanding like my current home.
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