Your Stories

Fifteen is an exciting time for most kids. Yet it’s also the average age of youth involved in the juvenile justice system. Positive, caring adults can help get them back on track.

People from our community are sharing their stories about how an adult made a difference when they were kids. These real life stories show how even a small act of encouragement can make a big difference in a kid's life.

Three Ways to Help Teens | Read the Stories | Tell Your Story 

Story Contributors:

Please note: Names of any individuals mentioned in the stories below were supplied by the writers. The When You Were 15 Campaign and its participating partner organizations have no information about the accuracy of the names used or the identities of the individuals described by the writers in these stories.

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Sam Adams, "Why I Didn't Disappear"
Obo Addy, "Master Mentors Make Master Drummers"
Art Alexakis, “when i was fifteen (written in my 44th year)”
Sonali Balajee, “Untitled”
John Bernard, "The Man in Black"
Shawn Biggers, “Untitled”
Adrian Blakely, “Untitled”
Ken Boddie, "Mister Wesley"
Natalia Bolohan, “Untitled”
Leasa B. Boscole. "Untitled"
Christine Campbell Brousseau, “Untitled”
Alexa Bukovskaya, “After Completing Residential Treatment”
Susan Burton, “Untitled”
Kym Carmichael, "What I Was Doing at 15"
Brian Doyle, "Fifteen"
Tonya Dreger, "My Life So Far"
Juliann Easton, "At 15"
Roseanna L. Ellis, "When I Was 15"
Patty Farrell, “Sink or Swim"
Derrick Foxworth, "What Was I Doing at Age 15?"
Gainell, “Untitled”  
Leanne Grabel, "Potato Chips on Haight"
Ella Amanda Hall, "Dear 15"
Teddy Hall, "Untitled"
Alyssa Hanada, "Why Me?"
Steve Hanamura,"Untitled"
Michele Hartford, "When I Was 15"
Tiffiney Hendon, “Reclaiming My Future”
Cynthia Ho-Dan Nguyen, “Learning Pride”
Jersey, "Free"
Mary Josephson, "When I Met Milburn Porter"
Al Jubitz, "What Was I Doing at Age 15?"
Kathryn King, "Unlocking Inspiration"
Shel Lester, “Untitled”
Jackie M. "When I Was 15"
Marnie Maurina, "When I Was 15"
Brittney Misho, "When I Was 15"
Meg, "Untitled"
Mo, "Untitled"
Andy Ngo, “Untitled”
Jack Ohman, “Finding the Lighter Side”
Vicki Phillips, “Leaving Home”
Carla Piluso,"Untitled"
Joseph Prior, “Untitled”
Elaine Rice, "When I Was 15"
Christopher C. L. Robinson III, "My Personal Independence Day"
Emily Ryan, “Untitled”
Brandy Sears-Johnson, “Family Friend”
Rebecca Shine, “Trouble”
Dr. Dapo Sobomehin, aka “Dapo”, "Take the Village with You"
Kim Stafford, "Breaking into the Truth"
William Stafford, "Fifteen"
D. Stenblom, "Faith in the Deep End"
Mary Stirling, “Untitled”
Jim Thayer, MD, "What Was I Doing at 15?"
M.Tizon, "Untitled"
Joshua Todd, "Untitled"
Victor Trelawny, "A Humpty Dumpty Who'll Never Fall"
Susan Troccolo, “Fifteen was a Whistle Stop”
Deborah Weller, "Fighting Too Hard"
Shura Young,"My Diary Records My 15th Year"
Samantha Zimmer, “Untitled”
Anonymous, "At 15"
Anonymous-W, "Untitled"

Tell Your Story

Perhaps it was a coach who never let you miss practice or your aunt who was always there to listen. It may have been a seemingly small act, yet it made a big impact on who you are today. Who made the difference for you?

Please note: By submitting your story, you certify that you understand and agree to the following:

1. Reclaiming Futures may publish your story, in part or in full, on the “When You Were 15” website, or in its print anthology.  As the author, all other rights belong to you.
2. Reclaiming Futures may also share this story, in part or in full, with the media or publish it in other public educational and outrreach materials.
3. Reclaiming Futures may edit your story for grammar or space considerations.
4. Contact information (a phone number and e-mail address) is required for publication – but if you would like your story published anonymously, or with your initials only, please say so in your submission.
5. If you are under 18, we will need your parent or legal guardian to agree to these terms.  Please include that person's first name, initial, and last name, as well as a phone number and/or e-mail address where we can reach him or her. 

 Thanks!

(Please note: you can cut and paste your story from another document into the form below by highlighting the text and using the Ctrl and C keys to copy and then the Ctrl and V keys to paste into the different boxes below.)

Name: (First name, last name, and name you'd like displayed for your story if different.)
Contact Information: (Address, email, phone number. This information will not be displayed.)
What you'd like people to know about you-? (Short bio information about you that you'd like to share.)
Title of your story:
What were you doing at 15?
Where are you now?
What adult helped you get to where you are today?

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