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An Experience

In: People

Submitted By enmccauley
Words 722
Pages 3
English 101
Lincoln’s Challenge Everyone has certain moments in their lives that have a lasting impression. Some people get a new job, meet fascinating new people, or get married. The experience that made an impression, even changed my life was going to Lincoln’s Challenge Academy. This academy was one of many big changes in my life. The benefits of this academy will help me through the difficult trials of life that I will face in the years to come. Lincoln’s Challenge was a place for “troubled” teens to obtain a GED and get discipline. It was a military-based school in Rantoul, Illinois. Young adults from the ages of sixteen to eighteen would come there, voluntarily, to change their mischievous behavior. Last year I dropped out of MacArthur High School and enrolled in the academy. I was a junior when I left the high school, and I was truly scared out of my wits. What I had heard about Lincoln’s Challenge Academy, or LCA, were not too pleasant. I knew my past wasn’t the best, but from what I had heard from a few friends the other teens that were going to attend were going to be much worse. When I arrived at LCA in January, I was absolutely terrified. I didn’t want to leave the comfort of my home, parents, friends, or especially my bed! What made matters worse was that I would have to gone for six months without my phone! However, the promise of two three-day breaks in March and April and family visits every Sunday made the knot in my stomach shrink a little bit. When classes started a few weeks into the program, I realized that I could handle the stress. I was doing really well on all of my GED tests and my teacher made learning easy and, dare I say it, even fun! We took one GED test every month instead of taking them all in a matter of hours. Never do I ring my own bell, but I was one of the highest scored students in my class. With the new knowledge as well as the discipline from all of my military staff, I felt like I could face the real world with no problems. When I graduated as class of 2012 in June, I felt like, for the first time in a very long time, I had accomplished something and made my parents proud. Many of my friends had told me that if I left high school I wouldn’t be able to go many places in life. It makes me so proud that I can say, thanks to LCA, I have a full time job and go to college part time. If I hadn’t gotten my GED I would still be in high school with people that had been dragging me down from my true potential. I live life day by day knowing that I owe all my success to Lincoln’s Challenge Academy. People are faced with life altering decisions every day. I made typical teenager mistakes, and as a result I went away to a place that filled me with horror but made me leave with nothing but respect and gratitude for the people involved in the experience. My parents tell me how proud they are of me and that they are thankful that I decided to change my life for the better. I could not be more grateful for the choices that I made. Some people might look at me as if I am crazy, but if it weren’t for this program I would not have a good head on my shoulders.
Someday I hope that I can look back and laugh at the troubling times I encountered while at Lincoln’s Challenge. The people I graduated with will forever be a part of my life, and I hope they can say the same about me. I entered the program with nothing but fear and terrified thoughts that others had ingrained in my mind. I left with meaningful friendships, a great new start, and a brand new look on the way my life could be. If anyone ever had the chance to make their life a better one, I would encourage them to take it. They never know the privileges that could come out of the experience ahead of them.

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