Sam -17

Success to me is when you have all of your goals planned out and you are fulfilling your dreams without letting anyone get in the way. With every challenge I have faced in my life, I feel that it has taken part in shaping a better me. Growing up, the challenge was tackling each day, living each day. Now, I face each day seeing how it will shape my future. For me, I would like to learn how to build a car from scratch, and one day own my own mechanic shop. When you feel that you have achieved success, you are more likely to help someone achieve their dreams too.

I have a lot of dreams, but most notably, having a family. I want to be a good dad for my future children. It is a big responsibility, but I want to teach my kids a lot of things and be a good role model for them. Good foster dads, in the past, were those who had the time to get to know their foster child, build a bond with them and help them work through their problems.

I have been at Holy Cross for 11 months. Holy Cross is different because they have helped me where other places could not. They give you a lot of support through your struggles, so you are ready for the real world. They give you the opportunity to work with others and see the struggles others are going through. Through this, you are able to look in the mirror and put yourself in someone else’s shoes, and realize that you are not alone.

In the New Year, I am looking forward to the positive things that will come my way when I come out of Holy Cross, and continue the positive direction of shaping my future for the better.

*The person’s real name and photo are modified to protect his identity.