Rogue’s Story: What Happened When She Began to “Stick It Out”
– June 6, 2017 –
When Rogue* was 15, her mom took her little sister and moved to Port Orchard, Washington to care for their grandma, leaving Rogue at their Florida home. Rogue lived by herself for 2 months before her grandma paid for her ticket to Washington. “A family friend dropped by once a week and brought ramen, hot pockets, and corn dogs.” She pauses. “It was hell.”
Rogue’s family moved constantly. For unexplained reasons, Rogue’s mother hid her children from their father, and frequently moved the family among various states. They moved so often that it was impossible for Rogue to finish high school. “I was so aggravated. I would have been the first one in my family to get a diploma.”
“I was so aggravated. I would have been the first one in my family to get a diploma.”
When Rogue was 18, she entered case management at the Poulsbo Coffee Oasis. She doesn’t remember how she found the Coffee Oasis, she just remembers she was “hanging out with the wrong crowd back then.” The Coffee Oasis became Rogue’s place for friendship, support, and guidance. Her case manager Donna “helped me learn what I can and can’t do. She helped me learn to control my anger.” In a later year, Rogue stayed in the Oasis Shelter while she was homeless. As Rogue became independent, the pattern of instability and constant moving continued in her life. But whenever she was in Washington she would swing by the Coffee Oasis.
Then came December 2016. She found herself back in Washington, 21 years old, exhausted from the instability and turbulence in her life. She decided to take control, saying to herself, “I’m staying here. I’m sticking. I’m not leaving until I finish school!”
“I’m staying here. I’m sticking. I’m not leaving until I finish school!”
Rogue went where she knew she would be helped; the Coffee Oasis. Her case manager helped her enroll in the GED program at Olympic College and get into a shelter. But Rogue was determined to get a place of her own. After exhaustive housing searches and filling out applications, she marched into the Coffee Oasis proudly holding up a key to her very own room! In April 2017, she got hired at Olympic College. A place of her own, a job, and enrolled in school, ALL in four months! “I’m doing pretty good for myself. I’m hanging with the right crowd. I’m a more open person. Life is better now. I am on my own, have a job, and am going to school.”
“Life is better now. I am on my own, have a job, and am going to school.”
Rogue is well on her way to accomplishing her dream of finishing school, no matter the challenges. When her math class got difficult, she tracked down a tutor to help her. And she is learning to balance a work life with homework and good friends. We are so proud of her determination to not be limited by her past, and are privileged to walk with her towards a life of healing and stability.
*name changed to respect youth’s identity
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