Dikaury Polanco

My name is Dikaury Polanco, I am 14 years old and I attend Colleyville Heritage High School. Pathways has been and always will be a major part of my life, because I have learned a lot of valuable and heart-felt lessons. I learned to not just care for myself, but to care about others. Step Beyond was my first encounter with Pathways. I met so many people that I could relate to, and that helped me achieve a happier and calmer mindset. After that amazing weekend, I knew for sure that I wanted to go to Teen Family Camp. I was a little scared, of course, but knew that I would get something valuable out of it. During the training week I shared and let go of things that I thought would never see the light of day. It felt good knowing that people were there to listen and help me get through my challenges. I also learned how to properly confront and how to talk to my parents, sibling and even friends during a tense situation. TFC has taught me a few steps and processes on how to make sure a situation goes through smoothly. In the following December I went to Step Beyond again, really looking for what I have been searching for, but this time I had more self-awareness. Once again it was an amazing experience. I made new friends and have developed a closer connection with God. I have so much love for God for what He has done for me. I love Pathways so much. I love what it does for people and how it allows people to break out of their shell and become free from everything. If I do get accepted to TA I will be very pleased and happy to see what TFC has in store for me this year. Thank you for this opportunity!