My Why?

When I was attending Angelo State University I was pursuing a career in the field of law enforcement. I truly felt at that point in my life that was the direction I wanted to go.  Although my parents were not happy about that decision they of course supported me in whatever decision I made. I graduated May of 1998 and my personal life was starting to change as I began dating a Police Officer.

Long story short is January of 1999 I got a job at the Juvenile Justice Center as a Probation Officer. I had no idea what this job entailed other than working with at-risk youth. This is where I ended up discovering my passion for working with at-risk youth or really just youth in general. I worked as a Probation Officer for 15 years. I saw a lot, dealt with a lot, and had a lot of accomplishments and some upsets too. I learned through this job that the kids for the most part needed love, guidance, direction, structure, and tough love. I also learned that you cannot “save” everyone but I will say this I sure did try with everything I had in me to help each and every kid in every way possible I knew how to help them get through whatever adversity they had.

I feel like I could connect with some of them based on some things I experienced growing up in my home with my half-brothers. I had one brother that ran away at the age of 14 and never returned home. I remember all the years of all the crazy phone calls, sleepless nights, and how this effected my parent’s relationship and our family as a whole. My other brother drank a lot and I can remember all the heartache that brought to my family. My parents and I went through a lot with my 2 brothers and I learned a lot of good things from their mistakes. I felt like my childhood experiences helped me connect with some of the kids and what they were going through.  Probation was a tough job in the sense of you put in your 100% or more but some of the times the kids did not do the same and they would end up locked up or sent off. I had to learn early on not to take anything personal because if I did it would not be emotionally healthy for me. This was one of the toughest things to learn because I had such a heart and passion for my kids and wanted them to be successful but I was up against a lot of barriers just like they are.

My last 9 years working at the Juvenile Justice Center I was stationed at Lincoln Middle School running after school groups for at- risk youth. Lincoln took me in and made me part of their family.  I loved running these groups because I was able to spend every day with my kids and really work in depth with them and then I was also able to reward them for positive behaviors. Most of the kids that I worked with had never been rewarded for anything positive they had done. I was available to these kids 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for any crisis or even if they just needed someone to talk to. I had such a strong relationship with these kids because they knew I loved them, truly cared for them, and they knew I wanted to see them be successful. There was nothing fake about our relationships (kids are smart and they can tell when you are being fake).

In December of 2013 Ms. Stella Reyes who was the At-Risk Coordinator at Lincoln announced she was retiring. She knew how much I loved Lincoln and the kids at Lincoln and recommended me for the position. In January of 2014 I was hired by SAISD as the At-Risk Coordinator at Lincoln Middle School. I left my position at the Juvenile Justice Center after 15 years which was hard for me but I knew in my heart Lincoln is where I wanted and needed to be. The best part is I still get to work with at- risk youth every day and I am still helping kids and their families in whatever capacity I can. I have built so many connections with students and their families over the years. I always have students emailing me or coming over from Lakeview to tell me “Thank You.” I know I have done the right thing when that happens. I know I have served my purpose. I am a firm believer that it is truly all about building relationships, having connections, loving them and that includes tough love, and empowering the kids to strive for greatness every day. I love Lincoln and I love the kids at Lincoln. Go Braves and Maidens!!