Leslie* is a 2024 high school graduate from Madill High School who currently lives at Baptist Home for Girls (BHG) in the College and Career program. She moved to BHG about a year ago.
In her cottage at BHG, Leslie lived with up to seven other girls under the age of 18 and a houseparent couple. Now, in College and Career, Leslie shares an apartment with another girl on campus who has graduated high school. Although Leslie has transitioned out of living in a cottage on campus, she still appreciates her houseparents and the community she has with the other girls. Leslie loves to walk over to visit the cottages on campus and continue the relationships she has made.
Leslie will start college this fall at Southeastern Oklahoma State University and will major in psychology and minor in forensics, criminology, and law. She is ahead of the game and only has three basic college courses to complete! She is majoring in psychology because she said, “I found psychology so interesting. I was a drug baby and then adopted. I am curious to learn why my brain works the way it does and how other people’s brains work.”
This summer, Leslie will continue to work at a local daycare and adjust to life as a young adult. She and her roommate each have their own room in their apartment and then share the kitchen and a living space. Leslie enjoys learning how to cook and the independence she has in Transitional Living. She is very grateful for the continued mentorship of her caseworker at BHG, Lindsey McDermott. “I don’t know where I would be without her,” said Leslie. “She is not only a mentor, but a friend. She has helped me grow so close to God. I would not be the person I am today if it weren’t for her.”
As a caseworker and mentor to those in College and Career at BHG, Lindsey leads a Bible study with Leslie and her roommate, invites them over for dinner, and is a constant source of encouragement and a resource of knowledge.
Looking Ahead
Leslie is hopeful for the future. She is looking forward to all college has to offer and hopes to one day be in the CIA as a criminal profiler. She sees her parents and younger brother every weekend and is grateful the struggles she had with her family as an adolescent are becoming a thing of the past.
Leslie said, “I am trusting God with my future. That’s all I can do. He brought me here, and this has been the best thing for me. I am surrounded by love and guidance and people who want the best for me and my future.”
Prayer Requests
Please pray for Leslie as she prepares for her first semester of college. She said she is very nervous for this uncharted territory. Leslie asks for prayers for her relationship with her family to continue to keep getting better and stronger. Finally, please pray for Leslie as she works at her job at the daycare; she said her job can be very challenging, and it is a struggle to know how to help sometimes.
Will you join us in bringing love into action for children and families across Oklahoma by seeking help or giving to one of our programs that matter to you?
*Name changed to protect privacy.