Diomaris Matos
Ft. Buchanan Teen Center
Soon after my father was promoted from one rank to another back in 1999, I began to attend Ft. Buchanan. I entered the second grade and until today I still study there. I have to admit that my early years attending the military Installation were hard. I didn't know anyone and I couldn't communicate with most of my teachers. They didn't allow me to participate in class discussion and to worsen the situation; my schoolmates didn't accept me because I didn't know enough English to hang out with them. So, I had to leave their classroom and head to the library.
For two years, I had to teach myself how to write, read and communicate without the help of anyone. My dad wasn't around much and my mom didn't know a word of English. I still recall having a confrontation with my 3rd grade schoolmates proving that I could hold an English conversation. I even received my first school award.
When I was in 4th grade, my hard work began to pay off. I got High Honor Roll awards all four quarters and I was taken out of the ESL program. But when I got to 5th grade, I began to have the most amazing opportunities.
Since I went to the school library everyday, the librarian offered me to work with her and I accepted. That year I got hold of Honor Roll awards, one for working, for achievement and excellence, sports and the Presidential award. I was really proud of myself. I never thought I was going to get that far.
I continued my studies and one year later, I was nominated for the AVID program. I have had the privilege to meet beautiful people from Peachtree, Georgia who would come to evaluate the program in the school. I've been able to go to college fairs, visit college campuses around Puerto Rico, be placed in more challenging courses and know more about the real world. So far I'm still an AVID student.
When I was a freshman in high school, I had even more college opportunities. I was invited to go to any of the big universities in the United States to take a course based on what I wanted to study in college and I had the chance to be part of the National Society of High School scholars.
I joined the JROTC program and I began to attend the Teen Center as well.
I knew about these programs, thanks to my brother who also went to some of these during his high school years. At the Teen Center, I have done so many activities, from sports, to arts and crafts, to cooking and learning about the different clubs they provide for us, the teenagers. I had the pleasure to be part of the Youth Leadership Forum and travel to the state of Georgia to represent Ft. Buchanan in the Southeast Region.
Now, as a sophomore, I still continue to be part of the Youth Leadership Forum, and I continue to stay active. As I keep on working for a better future, I have joined the school choir. Right now, I am placed as beginning choir, but I guess my teacher found potential in me, and decided to make me part of the school's ensemble. I have had the honor to sing on stage with them and with the rest of my classmates.
About one week ago, my father was sent to Texas to become the Area Leader of a new region, and in a couple of months I'm going to be able to reunite with him along with my mom. Forming part of this military family has given me the chance to experience many great events and places of the world and honestly I couldn't be more proud to say that I'm an Army Brat.
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