Lauren Schumacher grew up in an abusive home, and she says the “abuse and neglect from my parents gradually wore me down over the years…I struggled to find sufficient reason to awake each day and face all those challenges again, yet I did.” At 17, she DHS removed her from her parents’ house, and she moved in with her best friend’s family, which is a home where she feels she belongs. After an exhausting round of interviews, counseling sessions, and court dates, her new family gained full custody of Lauren. Through her counseling, she came up with three words that describe herself: “strong, courageous, and unstoppable.”
Amy Kay Nickerson, one of her teachers, says Lauren excels in the academic setting, and that teachers frequently ask her to tutor younger students. She calls Lauren an exemplary personality, compassionate, and a leader as President of the Beta Club. Ms. Nickerson concludes: “No matter where Lauren goes, she will make a difference.”
