ORANGE PARK – Teonna Brooks is a product of the Foster Care system. Don’t sigh in pity and compunction, because Brooks feels rewarded for getting a second chance at a real opportunity to find happiness and accomplishment.

And who knows? Maybe redemption.

“I had to readjust to living with my mom to living with my grandma,” the 12^th grader from Orange Park High said. “It wasn’t as hard as one would think, because we (including her younger brother) stayed with my grandma during COVID.”

After the pandemic, Teonna said her mother’s husband had mentally and physically abused her and other members of the family due to drug abuse. The daughter couldn’t understand why her mother would stand by her man and not her children.

“I had that thought many nights,” she said.

Neither could the Department of Children and Families. They removed the children from the neglect and put them in the system. Their maternal grandmother adopted them.

Once Teonna’s personal life was back on solid footing, her next step was to get her academics back in order. Students and staff quickly noticed a change because her smile was back. She was back playing sports, and she quickly connected with everyone at the school.

“I have a great reputation with all of the teachers and staff, and I think that it really helped me build my character, even in hard times,” she said.

Moreover, she pushed to overachieve and will graduate Friday night, May 23, with 28 credit hours, while most of her classmates will finish with a full-time slate of 24.

“Everyone saw the bubbly Teonna again,” she said.

Things got better when her mother wanted to be a part of her life again after her stepfather died in April. Teonna is taking it slow, but the two went shopping for a dress for prom and homecoming. Just in case, Grandma was a phone call away if Teonna needed a quick Plan B.

“She’s my mom, and she’ll always be my mom,” Teonna said. “I’m still a little guarded. Where this ends up, who knows? I’m taking this one step at a time.”

Her next step is taking classes at St. Johns River State College.

“That way, I can stay with my grandma and get a feel for college before I jump into the deep end,” Teonna said. “Then I can pick a college. But it’s one step at a time.”

All because the system worked.