Springboard provides a safe environment for girls under the age of 18. In order to protect their confidentiality, we do not post their photos. Each student bio listed below is a real story of a Springboard student. You will be receiving a Good News Letter each month from a current student, but names will be changed to protect their identities. Your sponsorship donation will go to support stories like these. Thank you for understanding and thank you for loving them back to life.
Amber - Age 15
Before coming to Springboard, I struggled with depression, self-harm and anxiety. I also struggled a little with drugs. Since I came to the program, I have learned to control my anger. I have also learned to love myself and communicate better. I am asking God to work in my heart and I want to be closer to Him and learn more about self-control. When I think about going home, I pray that me and my family would be closer and not argue so much. I also want others to know me as a happy Christian. Psalm 23:5 is my favorite because it reminds me that although God is preparing a feast for me, my enemies are still trying to bring me down, but God is with me through it all.
Favorite Scripture: Psalm 23:5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Carmen - Age 13
Before I came to Springboard I was dealing with trauma, addiction, and mental health. Since being here I’ve been learning about the Lord our Father and how to forgive others even when I feel like they are in the wrong. While I’m in the program I want God to plant a seed of kindness, holding my tongue, and self-control, in my heart. When it comes time to go home, I want things to be different. I want to be nice and not get in a fight with everyone.
Favorite Scripture: Isaiah 49:16 “Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me.”
Christie - Age 14
Before coming to the program, I struggled with arguing, stealing, yelling, always wanting to be right, relationship problems, lying, forgiving others, disobeying parents, negative mindset, wrong love, impulsive actions, manipulation, self-worth, wrong friends, online issues, treating others horribly, trust issues, and getting stuck in my head. I am learning here that I can overcome my negative mindset by trusting God and once I can change the mindset problem, all the other problems can work out because the root problem of those is the negative mindset. God has changed my viewpoint towards others. Instead of seeing their problems, I see struggles and needing help. I also know God has a plan for me and I have no need to worry if I am in God’s hands. When I go home, I want to be able to have the wisdom to control my temptation with God’s help and to show love and kindness to others when they show the opposite. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 is one passage that I love because it shows how much faith a person can have in Christ. They take all the negative talk and turn it to God and they become stronger within the Spirit.
Favorite Scripture: 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Gracie - Age 14
Before coming to Springboard, I struggled with my health and diabetes and showed that I just didn’t care about myself. I also struggled with vaping, weed, drinking, and the way I thought about myself. I am learning that I matter and people love me. I am also learning how to take better care of myself and believe that I am worthy and people care about me. I want God to fix the way that I think and for Him to help me understand myself. I also want Him to make me become a better person and for Him to just make me a kind hearted person. When it comes to my home life, I want it to be filled with kindness and love. I want my parents to love and trust me. My favorite verse right now is Philippians 4:4 because it is full of joy and I am a joyful and kind-hearted person and that verse speaks to me.
Favorite Scripture: Philippians 4:4 “ Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!”
Kay - Age 14
Before Springboard, I struggled with some crazy addictions. I felt lost and I was self-harming and struggling to continue with life. Since being here I’m learning to love myself for who I am and learning about God while drawing closer to Him. While I’m here, I want God to give me patience and kindness to keep moving forward in this program. I want to have a closer and more understanding relationship with God. I want my future to be different when I go home. I want to be happy and full of life and to be off my meds. I also want to have the strength to not fall into the same temptation when I get home.
Favorite Scripture: Philippians 4:13 says “For I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.”
Leigh-Anne - Age 14
For me, before I came to Springboard I struggled with many things. The main things that I struggled with would probably be anger and following the rules along with sexual behaviors and drugs. While being at Springboard I have learned a lot and I have changed a lot of my past behaviors. I am learning to build my relationship with God and to fix my relationship with my family and to realize that there will always be people that will try to bring me down but to push on and have faith. I would like for God to help guide me through life and continue to show me his ways. Also, for God to continue to protect my family and me. I would like my future to be different for me, my parents, and my siblings. I would like for us to all be at peace and to just have a normal teenage life. I also want to have a really good relationship with my mom, sister, and brother. I want to have a relationship like my mom and her mom and be the best big sister I can be. My favorite Bible verse right now is Romans 10:9-10.
Favorite Scripture: Romans 10:9-10 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.
Mary Icle - Age 15
Before I decided to come to Springboard I had depressive episodes and anxiety. I also struggled with self-harm and an eating disorder. Since I’ve been here I have been learning how to strengthen my relationship with Jesus and how to have healthy coping mechanisms. While I am here, I want God to help me find my worth in Him. It would also be appreciated if He could help me to communicate and understand people better. When I go home, I want my family and I to communicate better and to have an even stronger relationship with God. Isaiah 9:1-2 is my favorite verse because it is full of hope.
Favorite Scripture: Isaiah 9:1-2 Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the nations, by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan— The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.
May - Age 13
Before coming to this program, I struggled with lying and stealing. I fought with my mom and my family constantly and struggled with my faith. While I’ve been here, I’ve learned that I am not alone in this journey because I have God with me. I am learning to forgive. I want God to transform my heart to Godly instead of sinful. I want to be wise instead of foolish. I want to have God in my future, I want him to help me get through rough days. I will be a new person through Jesus Christ my Lord and King of the universe!
Favorite Scripture: Psalm 119:105 “Your Word is a lamp to guide my feet, and a light for my path.”
Nevah - Age 13
I struggled with self-harm, rebelling, and drugs. I hated everyone and felt unworthy. Since I have been here, I have been learning about forgiving and trusting God. I want God to redeem me and set me free from my past struggles. When I think about the future and what home will look like, I know it will be different because I have Christ to guide me when I fall. John 3:16 is my favorite verse because it truly tells me how much I am loved.
Favorite Scripture: John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Therese - Age 16
Before coming to Springboard I had struggled with an eating disorder since I was six. I also struggled with having anger outbursts. Since I’ve been here, I’ve been learning to control myself in difficult situations where I can’t control anybody else or the situation, just myself. I want God to help me forgive others as He has forgiven me. And I want Him to give me unconditional love for people, especially the ones I struggle to like. When I go home I want to have healthier relationships, mainly with my parents. I also want to learn how to have healthy boundaries instead of being rebellious.
Favorite Scripture: Philippians 4:6-7 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
