CORE | Coalition for Residential Education

Kamico Cornelius

For “Big Mama,” as she is known at Methodist Children’s Home in Texas, “life was not always the fairy tale everyone wants it to be,” says Kamico Cornelius, 17. Now, she is on her way to becoming a successful young lady as she graduates Valedictorian from ‘the Home’ and enters college. In fact, she is not waiting until the fall; she has already begun taking summer classes towards her degree.

Originally from Fort Worth, TX, Kamico was adopted at the age of seven. During her adolescent years, Kamico started misbehaving. Though she did not have any trouble with the law, there were several runaway incidents. Knowing she was not heading down a good path, Kamico asked her adoptive mother to find help. At 14 years old, Kamico entered the foster care system. She was in eleven different placements, at times enduring physical and emotional abuse, before Methodist Children’s Home became her twelfth placement.

A therapist Kamico was seeing in Waco, TX told her about ‘the Home.’ Kamico’s first impression was that of a hyper-Christian boarding school where she would have to wear a uniform and attend church four times a week. After looking at the website, however, she realized how “big and pretty” it was. She had always thought that Methodist Children’s Home was a college campus when driving by it.

Kamico moved to her new ‘home’ on June 14, 2006. She states this date proudly, as if to signify the beginning of a new life.
Kamico’s adjustment to Methodist Children’s Home was not a hard one, though her most troubling issues have always been trusting people and expressing how she feels. “Slowly but surely,” she says, “I am getting there now. I am starting to trust people. On a scale of 1 to 10, I’ve grown from a zero before entering Methodist Children’s Home to a 9 now.”

The biggest difference for her was the caring, supportive, and loving environment that she received from students and her houseparents. She sees her housemates and houseparents as sisters and parents. “We lived together and I saw them all the time, so I really know what they’re like. And after hearing some of the stories the other girls have gone through, I realized we’ve gone through a lot of the same things.”

This bonding on a common past – and now, healing from their past – would not be possible without Methodist Children’s Home.

“Everything about this place makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside. Methodist Children’s Home provides a sense of care. It’s all the things you’re supposed to find in a home.”

Kamico’s two brothers have also been in foster home placements. She describes her relationship with her older brother as having used to be “a hate-hate relationship with constant fighting.” While in a placement in Waco, however, her brother called her one day. “He said there’s no reason for me not to talk to people if there are people out there who will care.”

That was a special moment for Kamico. It showed her that things can change – and that damaged relationships could be repaired with time.

“All my life people were always telling me what I couldn’t do, that I would never amount to anything.” What kept her going was the simple fact that she wanted to prove someone wrong. “Sometimes it was hard, but I just kept telling myself, ‘Kamico, you are smart. You can do this.’”

Kamico was named a Student Ambassador in September 2006, and since then, she has been speaking at churches and to the local community about her experience. Her story, after all, exemplifies the power of a second chance, and of the encouragement and support found at programs like Methodist Children’s Home.

A very articulate young woman with great leadership skills, Kamico served on tri-council, executive council, and senior committee council, and was a member of the choir and yearbook staff through the Methodist Children’s Home charter school. Kamico has done fantastic work through the opportunities she has been given – excelling academically, thriving spiritually, and serving as a role model to other residents. She has exemplified her motto “survive, thrive, and move on,” and will continue to achieve success as she enters college to study neonatal nursing.

Her piece of advice: to always keep your head up. To the students at other residential education programs across the county, she says: you may think you are in a storm now, but wait it out and things will turn out differently. No matter what, God has a plan for you.

June 2007