Some tutors come to Learning Bridge because they love teaching. Some come because they want to support their community.
And some, like Carly, come because they know exactly what it feels like to be the kid on the other side of the table. She specifically sought out programs supporting foster youth because she once navigated the same system. In high school, she designed an art program for students at an alternative school. Later, she gave a talk to kids living in residence at Sandy Pines Hospital. She has always gravitated toward young people carrying more than most adults realize.
“I wanted to be the person I needed when I was younger. The prime motivation driving my life choices since I ‘started over’ has been to make our world better in any way that I can.”
We were so inspired and impressed with Carly’s passion, we asked her to share more of her story and why she believes so deeply in showing up for kids in foster care.
Growing up in instability and entering foster care
Carly’s childhood was shaped by instability, addiction, and long stretches without her parents.
“When I became a teenager my father’s addiction worsened, and he became extremely abusive. Eventually I had to leave his home and live with my mother. However, our relationship was incredibly strained. I began getting into a lot of trouble and we would often fight, resulting in police visits.”
She spent much of her teen years in statewide inpatient psychiatric programs under state care. At 18, she faced a choice: return to an unsafe home or voluntarily enter a group home for youth aging out of care. She chose the group home and discovered something unexpected.
“When I arrived, I found out my mother had been in foster care in the same group home 30 years earlier. The woman who ran it still remembered her.”
Starting over, with nothing but a trash bag of clothes
After aging out, Carly struggled through homelessness and abusive relationships. At 23, she reached a turning point.
“I always wanted to get a college education but, due to how my life had gone, I had basically given up on that dream by 18 years old. I had little faith in myself and the world. I found myself in abusive relationships and was homeless from the ages of 20-23. But, eventually I had had enough and became determined to do something different.
I called some family and came home to south Florida with nothing but a trash bag of clothes and a little bit of determination. I immediately got a job and began researching college.
When COVID hit it further solidified my desire to do something with my life. During lockdown I began pursuing my associates degree, initially with the plan of making a career as a lawyer defending juveniles. However, after taking some science courses my passion for scientific discovery was ignited. I chose to pursue a bachelor’s in biology at Florida International University (FIU), where I volunteered in a laboratory working on coral reef research. That led to me securing a research position as a master’s student here in Texas at Texas State University, studying the coral immune system. It took me a little time, and a lot of tears but I finally achieved my goals and continue to pursue new ones.”
Finding belonging and redefining “normal”
Even as she excelled academically, Carly often felt out of place.
“When I first started college, I felt insecure about how old I was and how little I understood. But I was driven by a need to make meaning out of my life. I thought everyone else understood some secret to success that I didn’t. But there is no ‘normal.’ My experiences make me resilient.”
She worked long hours while going to school and volunteering in research.
“I found myself working 27 hours a week and doing classes and volunteering in my remaining hours. For a year, that meant working 7 days a week.”
Her efforts paid off: she earned scholarships, joined research programs, and even completed a prestigious internship in Bermuda, where she presented her work to other scientists.
Still, the hardest part wasn’t just the workload.
“The biggest challenge I have faced is thinking I am alone and feeling like I don’t belong among ‘normal’ people. But throughout these past 6 months as a master’s student I have learned there is no ‘normal’ and that my unique experience makes me especially determined and resilient.”
She is proud to be the first in her family to pursue a graduate degree.
Why she chose to become a Learning Bridge Tutor
We asked Carly, As someone who experienced foster care yourself, what inspired you to become a tutor and support a student who is currently living in a group home?
“The prime motivation driving my life choices since I “started over” has been to make our world better in any way that I can. When I was in state care and in the group home, I met so many young people who were so incredible but had been so hurt and so neglected. So many of them had such incredible potential, and also, so many obstacles to overcome. I have never forgotten them.
I knew tutoring a child in a group home could be challenging but I also knew that this kind of child would need that connection the most. I watched her come out of her shell as we continued to meet. It was incredibly rewarding for me and I hope she will keep those good memories with her throughout her life. I still remember staff members who were kind and patient with me when I was a child in care, and I will always be grateful to them.“
What she wants young people in foster care to know
Carly is honest about how hard it can feel to imagine a different future.
“I was so afraid that because of how my parents struggled with mental health, addiction, and financial security, that I was doomed to be the same as them. I thought I was defective.”
Her message now is different.
“Choosing to believe in myself changed my life. Refusing to quit even when that’s all I wanted to do. We are all capable of so much more than we can imagine.”
And for those wondering if college is even possible:
“My advice to anyone who is unsure whether higher education is possible for them is to realize that hard work and perseverance can take you to amazing places. It took me much longer than a traditional student to get to where I am, and I couldn’t rely on my parents to help me and that just makes me even prouder that I finally got here.”
Why Carly’s story matters
Carly’s story is one of resilience and determination, yes. But it’s also about what happens when even one adult shows up and keeps showing up.
There are thousands of young people in Central Texas who are where Carly once was – in foster care, in group homes, trying to figure out who they are and what’s possible for them.
Carly chose to sit beside one of them, week after week, with patience, play, and encouragement.
At Learning Bridge, we’re grateful to have Carly’s impact with our students and our community.
If Carly’s story moved you, here’s how you can help
- Volunteer as a tutor — even one hour a week can help a student feel seen, supported, and more confident in school.
- Support our work financially — your gift helps us reach more students in foster care and group homes across Central Texas.
- Share this story — the more people understand what kids in care are up against, the more support they can receive.
What made a difference for Carly wasn’t perfection, it was presence. And now she’s offering that same presence to a student who needs it.
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