After getting into her dream college, Jocelyn, 17, only needs parents to come home to
TYLER, Texas (KLTV) - We first met Jocelyn, 17, as a 15-year-old sophomore at a coffee shop in Tyler. She shared with us her dreams of becoming a crime scene investigator and studying at Sam Houston State University.
While she lit up talking about what her future could hold, her biggest goal was to find a family before turning 18. It’s a precious and often-feared age for many teens in the world of foster care. But for Jocelyn, hope was still alive.
Two years later, we caught up with the now-17-year-old high school graduate on the accomplishments so many teens are only able to do with the help of support systems.
“I got accepted into Sam Houston State University,” Jocelyn said with pride. “I got accepted for a criminal justice major and a double minor in forensic science and sign language.”
Jocelyn’s dream had never wavered, just like her impressive spirit and determination to make her dreams come true.
“There’s a program at my high school called ‘Operation Grad’ and it’s where you can do online courses where you can graduate early,” Jocelyn explained. “I finished four courses in under a week.”
Jocelyn’s hard work isn’t just in school. She told us how much it means to her to have a job and be an active part of the community she lives in.
“I’m a big people person,” she said with a smile. “I currently work at Chili’s as a hostess.”
While Jocelyn still has dreams of having a little brother to call her own and parents she can run to, she knows the clock is ticking.
“It’s scary. That’s the realistic side of it. It’s scary. I’m scared because where am I supposed to go for Christmas? Where am I supposed to go for Thanksgiving? Where Am I supposed to go on these holidays? It’s just an uncertainty in my life.”
With months left in the system, Jocelyn says she’s witnessed her friends in foster care get adopted with limited time to spare. It’s what keeps her hope alive that her parents are out there.
For more information about Jocelyn, please email hello@heartgalleryetx.org.
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