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May 25, 2011
St. Petersburg Times
PRESS RELEASE

Natasha Spencer's view of the world has changed since she was 12 and living in Tampa's Ponce de
Leon area. Here's an excerpt from the essay she wrote about her experiences. There is a little girl getting ready for school. She dresses, brushes her teeth and rushes downstairs to eat
breakfast. After packing her backpack, she steps outside. As she takes a deep breath, she is overcome by a feeling of
despair. 
She wants so much to break the mold and conquer the fears that have burdened her for her entire life. As she
walks to school she thinks about her future and the options that are typically present for her to choose.