I was a 4-year-old stripped from my home and placed into foster care. Watching my mother get placed into the back of a cop car because she decided the right thing to do was choose drugs and a boyfriend over her child. Needless to say, it was an upsetting and dark time being such a young child. Looking back I am so grateful I had people around me to distract me from all the bad and try to keep my childhood alive. I had a wonderful family I was placed with and to this day I still keep in contact with them, they were a big part of my life and I don't know that I'll ever be able to let that go. I'm 17 now, I have forgiven my mother for what she did but I will never forget. Although we have a relationship now and we have moved those events parts of me still feel empty, I still feel as if I lost my mother years ago and im unsure of how to restore the relationship we could have. Although I did have a support system I have never really had anyone around me to talk to about how I was feeling, no one that could relate. Eventually, it got to the point where my family no longer wanted to hear about the issue and would shut me down and/or tune me out. Shutting out a hurting child is more damaging than you would guess. I am a few weeks shy of 18 and I struggle to talk about my emotions I tend to leave things alone and hold it all in because I still believe I have no one available to me to listen to how I am feeling. For three years I have researched a career in Child Protective Services and on September 1st, 2023 I chose to make my commitment to St.Cloud State University to receive my bachelor's degree in social work. My passion is not only helping others but more so geared towards children and teens. I have goals set and one I will accomplish in the next 10 years is to make a difference in someone's life as I join this field of work. Outsiders tend to look at this career negatively; they see social workers as villains as they remove these kids from their homes but in the end, we are trying to save these children from situations that risk their safety. It’s difficult for everyone involved to see them being taken and placed elsewhere, but looking at the child's best interest should be everyone's mindset in all scenarios. You don’t get to choose the family you are born with or the storyline you are added to but you have the choice to finish your story and make it your own. A child should have someone in their life they look up to, someone who raises the mood and takes a negative situation and turns it positive, especially during a dark or upsetting time. Not only is it beneficial for a younger child to have people to look up to it's also good for that to remain as they grow especially to provide emotional support. I am striving to become the light these children so badly need, the support system they may not have.

Yes, I was. I was a 4-year-old stripped from my home and placed into foster care. Watching my mother get placed into the back of a cop car because she decided the right thing to do was choose drugs and a boyfriend over her child, needless to say, it was an upsetting and dark time being such a young child. Looking back I am so grateful I had people around me to distract me from all the bad and try to keep my childhood alive. I had a wonderful family I was placed with and to this day I still keep in contact with them, they were a big part of my life and I don't know that I'll ever be able to let that go. Although I did have a support system to say "everything is okay" and "your mom will get better" I have never really had anyone around me to talk to about how I was feeling. I am a few weeks shy of 18 and I struggle to talk about my emotions I tend to leave things alone and hold it all in because I still believe I have no one available to me to listen to how I am feeling. As I grow into this career I want these children to know I'm there for them, and that they have someone to talk to, they don't have to worry that they are alone because though I may not be physically there at all times they will know they can reach out for anything. A child should have someone in their life they look up to, someone who raises the mood and turns a negative situation and turns it positive, especially during a dark or upsetting time, and that is what I am striving to be as I pursue a career in social work. For three years I have researched a career in Child Protective Services and on September 1st, 2023 I chose to make my commitment to St.Cloud State University to receive my bachelor's degree in social work. My passion is not only helping others but more so geared towards children and teens. I have goals set and one I will accomplish in the next 10 years is to make a difference in someone's life as I join this field of work. Outsiders tend to look at this career negatively; they see social workers as villains as they remove these kids from their homes but in the end, we are trying to save these children from situations that risk their safety. It’s difficult for everyone involved to see them being taken and placed elsewhere, but looking at what the child's best interest is should be everyone's mindset in all scenarios. I believe it is beneficial for a younger child to have people to look up to it's also good for that to remain as they grow especially to provide emotional support. As I use my degree to take on a career being a social worker I will do all I can to create a safe space and be the light that these children so badly need. It could be a temporary thing or could become long-term, through multiple placements, the hiccups, and the good times I will be there to support the children to my fullest extent as well as becoming their biggest advocate.

A child should have someone in their life they look up to, someone who raises the mood and turns a negative situation and turns it positive, especially during a dark or upsetting time, and that is what I am striving to be as I pursue a career in social work. For three years I have researched a career in Child Protective Services and on September 1st, 2023 I chose to make my commitment to St.Cloud State University to receive my bachelor's degree in social work. My passion is not only helping others but more so geared towards children and teens. I have goals set and one I will accomplish in the next 10 years is to make a difference in someone's life as I join this field of work. Outsiders tend to look at this career negatively; they see social workers as villains as they remove these kids from their homes but in the end, we are trying to save these children from situations that risk their safety. It’s difficult for everyone involved to see them being taken and placed elsewhere, but looking at what the child's best interest is should be everyone's mindset in all scenarios. I was a 4-year-old stripped from my home and placed into foster care. Watching my mother get placed into the back of a cop car because she decided the right thing to do was choose drugs and a boyfriend over her child, needless to say, it was an upsetting and dark time being such a young child. Looking back I am so grateful I had people around me to distract me from all the bad and try to keep my childhood alive. I had a wonderful family I was placed with and to this day I still keep in contact with them, they were a big part of my life and I don't know that I'll ever be able to let that go. Although I did have a support system to say "everything is okay" and "your mom will get better" I have never really had anyone around me to talk to about how I was feeling. I am a few weeks shy of 18 and I struggle to talk about my emotions I tend to leave things alone and hold it all in because I still believe I have no one available to me to listen to how I am feeling. As I grow into this career I want these children to know I'm there for them, and that they have someone to talk to, they don't have to worry that they are alone because though I may not be physically there at all times they will know they can reach out for anything. I believe it is beneficial for a younger child to have people to look up to it's also good for that to remain as they grow especially to provide emotional support. As I use my degree to take on a career being a social worker I will do all I can to create a safe space and be the light that these children so badly need. It could be a temporary thing or could become long-term, through multiple placements, the hiccups, and the good times I will be there to support the children to my fullest extent as well as becoming their biggest advocate.