Dacey is 17 and grew up in foster care. She was originally taken away from her family when she was 4 years old. Then there were many custody battles, so she missed a lot of school. By the time she was 9 years old, she was finally placed in a steady home, but with all the school she had missed, she was put in special education classes. She wasn't adopted until she was 14 years old. Success in school was something she worried about. She wanted to impress her new family so they would want to adopt her, but she didn't need to. Still, she didn't like the feelings that she had while being part of special education classes – this was her turning point.

So she worked very hard in school. She worked so hard that she was able to skip the 7th grade. College is something she knew she could do. She chose her major last year after being selected to serve as a translator on a medical mission. She is very proud of her volunteer work in Ecuador. She feels she has accomplished something important.

Kathy White, Dacey's Talent Search Advisor, helped her continue to have confidence in herself, helped her discover details about her career choices and find out what colleges to apply to. Now she knows that she wants to go to college, pass MCAT's, go to med school and complete her residency (and pay off her student loans!). Then she wants to do something like join the Peace Corps.

Dacey knows that going to college will make her life better because she will be able to do everything she has wanted to do for so long. It will change her family financially because she knows it will be hard for them to afford, but in the end it will all work out.

© 2008 Maine Educational Talent Search (METS)

The Maine Educational Talent Search Project is funded entirely by the US Department of Education. The grant award for 2007-2008 is $510,255.

In complying with letter and spirit of applicable laws and in pursuing its own goals of diversity, the University of Maine System shall not discriminate on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, including transgender status or gender expression, national origin or citizenship status, age, disability, or veterans status in employment, education, and all other areas of the University. The University provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request.

Questions and complaints about discrimination in any area of the University should be directed to the Office of Equal Opportunity, the University of Maine, 5754 North Stevens Hall,Room 101, Orono, ME 04469-5754, telephone (207) 581-1226 ( voice and TDD) TYY (207) 581-9484.

This site last revised 3/3/2008 Comments or questions? Send email to Steve Visco (visco@umit.maine.edu)