Daniela’s Journey Back to School & Self

“I’ve always been really smart, but my life was just always getting in the way,” says Daniela. She is one of the Class of 2025 graduates Treehouse celebrated earlier this year; this is her story leading up to that milestone and the beginning of her journey as a young adult.

When Daniela Started School

Daniela was born to a young single mother who had to work multiple jobs just to get by—often leaving Daniela alone at a young age. A teacher at Daniela’s elementary school who lived in the neighborhood took an active role in her life.

“She would give me food and sometimes she would watch me,” recalls Daniela. “She was just the best, because my mom just couldn’t—she was just so busy working all the time. That’s how I met my sister—not my biological sister, but I met her when she was 18.

“They used to take care of me. I had so much going on, and they just made it, like, so special for me. They would celebrate my birthdays and get me birthday gifts. And that’s something I didn’t always have because my mom and I didn’t have a lot of money, you know? Whenever I would go back to school, she would buy me new school supplies, new backpack, new shoes.”

Becoming a Student in Foster Care

In 7th grade, Daniela was the target of a crime and was placed into foster care for three years. Through placement changes and being led through the legal process, she was able to keep her grades up. But everything became too much in 10th grade.

“I kind of lost myself there for a little bit,” says Daniela. “I didn’t think I was going to graduate, and I didn’t think I was gonna go to college. I feel like I let everyone around me influence me as well. Everyone was like ‘oh, we don’t want to go to college,’ but it’s like, that’s not really an option for me. College is, like, my only saving thing here.”

With a bad relationship over, Daniela found a moment of peace and clarity. She decided to focus on herself, prioritize exercise, and recommit to her education. Through it all, her community was there to walk that path with her.

Daniela’s chosen sister shows her how to practice self-love and self-care—something that’s even more important now Daniela’s back with her mother and two little brothers, ages 5 and 6, who she pours love and care into. She and her sister now bond over how important being a big sister feels. But her sister reminds her you can’t pour from an empty cup. Sometimes self-care is pampering yourself, and sometimes it’s pushing yourself.

“My sister took me skydiving,” Daniela laughs. “I told her, like, a year ago ‘Oh, for my 18th, it would be cool to go skydiving.’ But I said that as a joke, right? And then she took me skydiving. I think I had a panic attack, like, right in the air, but we just jumped out, and I was like, ‘oh okay.’ She listens; you gotta be careful.”

How Treehouse Helps

Since she was placed in foster care, Treehouse has also been there. Daniela enjoys shopping at the Treehouse Store; she received financial support to attend prom and even got incentive gifts for achievements. Maybe the most important was the one-on-one educational support.

“I got a representative in, like, my freshman year of high school. She helped me so, so much! Then I got Mr. Kevin in my senior year—we still meet regularly, maybe like once a month now. We talk over my goals and stuff, which is nice. I’m just really focused on keeping a good GPA because I want to transfer to a four-year university eventually.”

When Daniela re-engaged in school, she and Kevin discussed her options. She decided to obtain her GED in the fall of her senior year of high school and enroll in college early.

“I felt scared there because I kept hearing so much stigma about the GED and whatnot,” says Daniela. “But there were so many people graduating and then they were just going straight to college. It felt really nice just to get that over with and, like, be able to move on with my life. I was so proud of myself. My mom was really happy too.

“I started college in January, but they messed up my payments and then I had to drop out for the winter quarter. When I went back in April, I finished the quarter with a 4.0 GPA. I thought, ‘wow, I’m really, really smart, actually.’ That brought me back to life.”

What’s Next

Daniela has her sights set on transferring to a four-year university to major in political science. After seeing the legal system up close, she has some thoughts on how to better serve clients. So, she wants to attend law school to become a lawyer and put her bilingual skills to good use, and maybe even do pro bono work. She also wants to travel to visit extended family in Ensenada, see Spain, and experience the culture of Colombia.

“Just getting away, like, being able to travel—I feel like no one in my immediate family has ever traveled like that. So, I want to do it,” says Daniela. “It’s just frustrating because I see my family settling for, like, the bare minimum for so long.”

Sister, brain, trailblazer—these all describe Daniela, but what’s more important to her is her internal sense of self.

“People can go through so many, like, ugly things in their life,” says Daniela, “but I feel like that should never define who you are as an individual or, like, change the way you are. I lived so much stuff—a lot of trauma, a lot of ugliness from other people—but I never let that make me mean. Don’t let it tear you down.”