如何实现你的梦想.docVIP

如何实现你的梦想 　　You survived the streets for days or maybe months. Then a street outreach worker tells you about a safe place to go for food， clothes， and a hot shower. Tired and alone， you decide to check the place out. It’s an emergency shelter for homeless youth. A couple of weeks later， you move to a program where you can get housing and advice on how to live on your own. You may begin to talk to your family and get together with them for activities and holiday gatherings. After a while， you feel strong and ready to move on. Still， it may not be easy. 　　Will you remember to pay your rent on time？ Be able to juggle school and work？ Living on your own takes more than a strong will and a positive outlook. When things go wrong you may have to ask for help. There’s nothing wrong with making mistakes and needing a second chance. 　　The first 17 years of my life are probably not much like other kids my age that you might know. I was born in Colombia， adopted into an American family， and then kicked out when I began dating someone my family didn’t approve of. 　　Juan found out he was too old for foster care and he ended up in a work camp. When he was released， the only place he had to go was on the streets. He found a transitional living program， and it was there that he began to feel hope. 　　I don’t care who you are： everyone needs a safe place to be， whether it’s your home， a relative’s home， or， in my case， an agency. Safety and security help people’s lives run when they are the most destitute. My agency provided me with the concrete things I needed for self-sufficiency： housing， assistance with getting a job and education， food， clothing， and safety. They also instilled in me a sense of hope， confidence， and responsibility. Their programs and my hard work helped me to reach my goals， but their staff’s acceptance， advocacy， and encouragement helped me to realize my potential. 　　Juan was able to practice playing his music every day with a piano that was donated to his