Eighth grade was a hard year for someone like me at Paul Public Charter School. That was the year I got caught jumping other girls into the gang in the locker room (meaning that myself and other girls from my crew had instructions to beat the girls for exactly 13 seconds everywhere on their bodies but their faces.) had so many problems and always in trouble for skipping school and being in all types of incidents. I was getting poor test scores because I wouldn't pay any attention in class and my grades were terrible. I would skip school, have skipping parties and hung around with the wrong people. Even my mother told me that I was not going to be anything in life. These words stuck in my head for the rest of the school year.

After getting caught the school expelled me for the rest of the school year. I was home in even a worse situation. I managed to convince the school to let me come back, but I had to do community service hours and a presentation on what I wanted to be when I grew up. I prepared a poster about my dreams of becoming a surgeon, and was ready to go in and present and give school another shot. The day of my presentation I cut school and never presented. The school didn't know what to do with me. By the end of the year, I was told I would have to repeat the 8th grade again. By that time I felt I should just drop out and everything my parents have been telling me was true. I would amount to nothing.

The school counselor suggested that I join a girls group along with some of the other girl's that were getting in trouble with me. It was said the group is for girls that are in gangs and to teach us leadership skills and it would help us. They called Jasmin Benab to come to the school to speak to us and she started coming a couple times a week. I thought it was pointless and I still was skipping and partying and doing everything I always did. After a while any skipping party we were at Jasmin would show up, on the street, Jasmin would show up, at school, Jasmin would show up. We could not get away from her. Then the couple days turned in to everyday into the summers and following school years ahead. She had patience and faith in us. She never let us down and showed us that we can be someone and can do better for ourselves.

Since Jasmin came into my life, I consider her my guardian angel my second mother because she knows my weakness and strengths. She has been and always be part of me because she never lost her faith that I was going to be an example for many young girls that are in the same position when I was 13 years old. These lessons showed me that what you have in your mind can be accomplished no matter what happens or what anyone says. That day I changed the way of thinking about how I want my life to be. I felt that I was a success when I actually realized that everything I did in my past was the wrong.

I took a risk when I was in 8th grade and into high school, the experience and support that I got made me see that I was not going anywhere with the type of life I was heading for. I was at risk of being in the street, getting killed or even getting pregnant at an early age; many girls that I used to hang around already have babies or dropped out of school. This matters to me, it shows that people always can change and can have a second chance with the support and guardian angel as I have had. Nine years later, I am in my 3rd year in college and still have Jasmin working with me and other young people in the community and being there for us good or bad. What I have really learned and realized is important to me is that a person can prove the world wrong, no matter of your past; it is a door that opens to make a difference in your future.