Cadence remembers being a very different person three years ago when she first arrived to Methodist Children’s Home as an eighth grader.
“I wasn’t opposed to coming to MCH, but I still came mad,” said the now-16-year-old high school sophomore. “I wasn’t in a good place with my mom at the time and had been in a short-term placement that wasn’t a good experience. MCH was a completely different environment.”
Staff remember Cadence as shy and withdrawn. But in time, Cadence found her voice.
“Cadence has grown tremendously since she has been at MCH,” said Erin Degrate, a youth care counselor in Cadence’s home on the Waco campus. “She is a leader to the younger girls in the home and they all look to her for guidance.”
“I didn’t want to be involved in anything at first,” Cadence said. “But then I started getting into activities because I didn’t want to be bored, and I made friends who convinced me to try out for things.”
With boredom off the table, Cadence jumped into as many activities at MCH as she could – choir, cheer, volleyball, track, mission trips, outdoor education, hunting trips, and student leadership organizations at the charter school on the MCH Waco campus.
Tim Price, director of outdoor education and recreation at MCH, said he has enjoyed working with Cadence in a variety of activities.
“She’s a born leader,” Price said. “She’s been part of so many activities and events at MCH. We have seen her grow up and mature right in front of our eyes, developing such incredible character.”
Price said Cadence’s ability to engage and communicate with others, including adults, is unique.
“Cadence is grounded in the real world,” he said. “She’s one of the only young people who chooses not to have a phone. This makes her knowledge real and authentic; her awareness of other people and the world around her surpasses that of many adults.”
Spiritual Development Minister Jill Sims leads musical arts at MCH, where Cadence has become a leading voice.
“I have had the privilege of watching Cadence grow from being a shy, unsure beginner to a brave, bold and confident leader and performer,” Sims said. “Cadence not only pursues her own growth, she constantly encourages and teaches others to do what she has learned to do with her gift over years of practice.”
At the 2023 Carols and Candles Christmas service, Cadence was a featured soloist, sang in a duet and group, played handbells, and played the bass guitar.
“It’s a rare gift to see someone overcome challenges in pursuing her dreams the way that Cadence does, despite the typical challenges of insecurity we all face in our youth,” Sims said. “The tenacity Cadence possesses has led her down a path of growth during her time at MCH.”
Sims added that Cadence is “developing her gift of big-picture thinking and uses this gift to encourage and equip the next generation of student leadership by sharing her own passion for music and seeing others reach their potential.”
As if her schedule wasn’t full enough, Cadence is also enrolled in the Greater Waco Advanced Manufacturing Academy (GWAMA), where she is learning marketable skills like cement work, construction and welding.
“It’s fun, so why not?” Cadence said with a laugh and shrug. “I want to have my own business one day, so learning things like that is helpful.”
Price said Cadence’s determination and work ethic are admirable traits, and “she’s come from being a follower to a tremendous leader,” he said.
Cadence chalks it up to maturing, but also said the staff at MCH has played a major role in her growth.
“As I’ve gotten older and settled in, I’ve learned to work well with the expectations on me and at the same time setting good expectations for myself,” she said. “MCH has definitely helped me. I’ve come to realize how I viewed the world and other people maybe wasn’t all that great.
“When I came here I wouldn’t talk to my mom,” Cadence added. “But now I understand more what she was experiencing. I was angry for no reason. I’ve grown to see what my mom went through and the challenges she’s faced. Through that, I’ve learned to not give up – on myself or other people. A lot of people want to quit when it gets tough, but I’ve learned it’s important to keep your eyes on the big picture.”
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