Shamaia: Believing in Yourself

When Shamaia came to Communities in Schools Greater Wichita Falls Area (CISGWFA), she was struggling with self-confidence, but things changed after she met her CIS Site Coordinator. "Ms. Trotman helped me to become stronger and to believe in myself," said Shamaia.

Shamaia moved from Arkansas during her freshman year to live with her father in Wichita Falls, Texas. 

During this time, Shamaia had trouble receiving necessary orthodontic care and had braces on for 6 years with no regular dental maintenance.  

Shamaia’s braces caused her great pain and embarrassment. This was coupled with the stress and anxiety that comes with moving states and acclimating to a new environment, making Shamaia’s life very difficult. Everything changed when she met her CIS Site Coordinator, Nanette Trotman. 

“As a Site Coordinator, being able to have that one-on-one relationship with Shamaia really opened my eyes to see it’s possible for any student to succeed in life. It only took one caring adult to help Shamaia stay on the right path and fully see her potential. I guided her into making the right decisions and to have smart realistic goals,” said Trotman.

Trotman was also able to connect Shamaia with one of CISGWFA’s community partners to remove her braces and give her a fresh cleanse.

“The growth I’ve seen over the years has gone beyond the shy and reluctant freshman to now a brave, confident, intelligent senior,” said Ms. Trotman.

Shamaia explained, “CIS is like a second home for me. When I first joined Communities In Schools, I was hurting because it was difficult for me to express myself. The more I got to know Ms. Trotman, the more comfortable I became sharing the problems I was going through... I’m forever grateful for her because she really cares about the kids in this school.”

Shamaia has been determined to be successful and overcome any barriers in her life. She’ll be graduating in May this year and attending Vernon Community College in the fall.