At Mercy Home for Boys & Girls, we focus on our kids’ strengths so that they can use them to prosper in other areas of their lives. By helping them discover and develop their interests and talents, they begin to gain the confidence and dedication necessary for them to succeed. Terry is a perfect example. Once he found his talent and love for cooking, his grades made a dramatic turnaround.
When Terry came to Mercy Home in June of 2006, his schoolwork was suffering because of his undisciplined behavior. “I didn’t care about my education,” Terry said. “I acted out a lot and got away with it.” While most of our kids advance a grade after living at Mercy Home for a year, some, like Terry, continue to struggle.
Mercy Home staff worked endlessly with Terry to find a solution, including helping him discover his passions so that they might help channel his energies constructively and improve focus. During weekly meetings with his advocate, Terry mentioned an interest in cooking, which was something he used to do with his family. Mercy Home sought out as many culinary opportunities for Terry as they could.
Before long, Terry began to gain more confidence and experience. Thanks to a partnership with Trump International Hotel & Towers, Terry was invited to spend the day at the hotel’s award-winning restaurant, Sixteen, shadowing Executive Chef Frank Brunacci and his culinary team. Terry did such a fantastic job during his shadowing experience that Chef Brunacci invited him to help cook Thanksgiving dinner at Mercy Home, which was provided by the Trump Hotel staff. His success in the kitchen gave Terry the boost he needed to focus on his education and go after his goals.
Mercy Home also sought a more appropriate school placement for Terry. After failing several classes, it was evident that a traditional high school setting might not the best fit. It is not uncommon for our youth to need placement in a different type of educational setting than they might have known before coming to Mercy Home. Terry started off the 2010 school year at West Town Academy, an alternative high school for students wishing to obtain their high school diplomas. Terry finished his first semester with all A’s and one B!
As Terry begins his second semester, he tackles the challenges of each day with as much zest and zeal as he did during the first. Terry is eager to graduate high school so he can continue his passion for cooking at a culinary arts college. Because of the persistence of Mercy Home staff, who did not give up on him, Terry finally found his niche. It was the right combination of ingredients that has led Terry to success and that will help propel him toward a promising future.
