Hi, my name is Rickyra. I am in the 9th grade and I go to Newark High School. When I was younger, I was a problem child always getting in trouble in school and at home. I never listened or followed directions. I used to fight a lot. I had an anger problem like an “I don’t care” attitude so I had to take anger management classes to get myself together.
I realized how to control myself and how to be a nice young lady. I don’t know why I acted like that before, I just did. I always followed after most of my friends and by me doing that, I always ended up in trouble. I was the only one out of my ‘crew’ getting on punishment because I handled situations in my own way.
Growing up I used to always try to be sneaky and hide things from my mom, but I know if you tell the truth you will feel okay about it and you don’t have to keep thinking about the wrong that was done. When I used to lie, my mom would smack me so hard until I told the truth so eventually I stopped lying to her and ‘kept it real’.
Before the lying, my mom used to spoil me. I used to get anything I wanted and do what I wanted. Because of all the lying, I do not get all the things I used to. Now I tell her everything she wants to hear ‘THE TRUTH’. Now I’m 15 years old and I know how to control myself. I know how to listen and follow directions. After all these years, I finally realized that I can be a better person, have a good life for myself and stay out of trouble.
So all that I did in the past has to stop; it’s time for me to grow up and act like an adult because I know right from wrong. Also, I’m mature enough to have self-control. 
When I grow up, I want to have a nice job, my own house, my own car and my own shop where I can do hair. I want to graduate high school and go to college. I want to be a teacher or an Academic Aide so that I can work with kids and their problems. In order to do that, I have to be respectful, trusted polite and patient.