Past events may not have been the best, but Alishia B.

Tuesday, April 17, 2001

Past events may not have been the best, but Alishia B. said the future is looking bright.

Alishia was a client sent to the Children’s Center of Ohio and is one of the center’s success stories. She was sent to the center because of unruly charges she received for running away from home. Alishia found herself in a downward spiral.

"I was in trouble with the law all the time," she said, "I had a bad attitude…and I didn’t want to accept help. My real mom didn’t take time out to work with me."

Stemming from her apathy with life and run-ins with the law, her education was foundering.

"I got Fs in everything," she said.

When Alishia first arrived at the center last July, she said she resisted the program.

"I didn’t like it at first, I couldn’t do what I wanted to do," she said.

Eventually, Alishia said, she came to a point where she started to drop her defenses and made a turnaround.

"I realized I needed to change," she said, "The staff talked to me…they didn’t give up on me."

Now, Alishia says she is a totally different person.

"I’m very responsible now," she explained, " If I have a problem, I talk it over with my foster family."

Alishia has not only found a way to work out her problems, she’s turned her education around, too.

"I went from making all Fs to making As and Bs."

She also received an award from her school for her grades and for showing respect to her teachers and peers.

"I was in the center for nine months," she said, "I am very proud of my accomplishments. People that knew me before say I have changed a lot."

Her foster mother, Regina Reynolds agrees.

"When we first saw her file…it was a scary and we thought we couldn’t do anything to help her," said Reynolds.

She said that when she finally met Alishia this January, she realized she was a different person.

"We still have some tough days," said Reynolds, "but Alishia recognizes when there is a problem and works to turn it around immediately."