Inside America's Toughest Boot Camp for Troubled Teens | Free Documentary

It's 4.45 in the morning in California. Chief Sergeant Yin is already standing at the ready. He runs one of the most successful boot camps in the United States. A boot camp is a recovery camp supervised by professional soldiers. The sergeant and his team are in charge of getting 133 young people back on the right track. This morning will be the, we call it shark attack, so it's when we come in very strong, and the purpose of this is to let them know that this is our world now, and in our world, we control everything here. The signal call for shark attack will be the born reason from your teams. In the dormitory, the new recruits arrived yesterday. They're still sleeping. It's their first wake-up call, and a brutal one at that. Pumps, jumps, bends. The shark attack is just beginning, and there is no escape. Squad down, squad down. Jump, jump, down, jump. A well-proven technique to raise the maximum level of stress and affirm his authority. Ready to move, yes or no? No, sir. Jumping jacks, go. Let's jump, let's jump, get down, get down. Sergeant Brown, Yin's right-hand woman, is one of the few women in charge of the boys, but no one even thinks of protesting against her orders. Jumping jacks. Let's go. Come on. With 19 boot camps to his name, Sergeant Yin quickly scopes out his new recruits. They're very motivated, they're very encouraged. They're following all the instructions. It's going really well here today. I got a good group of young boys. Pushups, go. On the upper floor, there's even electroshock for the girls. They represent a quarter of the recruits and are always separated from the boys. Stockton has 300,000 inhabitants and is situated an hour and a half away from San Francisco, but we are far away from the millionaires of Silicon Valley. The unemployment rate is twice as high as the rest of the country. Isolated from town, the boot camp has an important mission, to put these young people back on the right track. Look at the person in front of you. They are between 16 and 18 years old. A lot of them have grown up in poverty, sometimes even with drugs and violence. All have failed in school. Some have even fallen into delinquency. These young people have chosen to live isolated from the rest of the world for five and a half months, far from the temptations of their past. Their objective is to give education another chance and give themselves a future. It's a free program funded by the Army. It's been an institution in the US for the past 25 years. For Cheyenne, this boot camp is her last chance to try again. Car thefts, hit-and-run offences, her criminal record is already loaded. Court case wouldn't be dismissed if I didn't graduate, and so that's the main reason I'm doing it, and for my high school diploma. A lot has hit me now. Marisol is 17 years old, abandoned at birth, life has never been on her side. I grew up in an abusive, adopted home, and I got kicked out. I ended up in a shelter and I didn't know I was pregnant, but I have my daughter and right now I'm a little bit struggling. I'm still in long-term foster care, but I'm trying to get my life together for her. Nicholas, 18 years old, is the oldest in his group. Alone and addicted to video games, he no longer has a social life and has had no friends since he was 10 years old. As a final desperate measure, his mother sent him to boot camp. Still would rather be home than stuck here. Why? Here I can't really do anything with my life. These young people must follow the orders of around 20 army sergeants. They're going to have an experience which will shape the rest of their lives. You are not wearing a uniform. You share a flag that we wear on our shoulder. In charge is Chief Yin, a former Iraqi and Afghan leader. Do you understand? Yes! And your actions show that you are failing! And this is his right-hand woman, Sergeant Brown, who commands these rebellious teenagers with an iron hand. I said do it! During five and a half months, these young people will suffer in the hope of finding a new life. But will they be able to cope? At boot camp, Operation Shark Attack continues. I said squat down! Squat down all the way, candidate! You can do it! I said squat! Nicholas is already completely exhausted. Marisol has to tap into her last resources. And Cheyenne gets herself back into order. 120% now! After an hour, the sergeant gives them a glimpse into what lies ahead. Your mission for this class is to accomplish a change in your life. But in order to make that happen, you must sweat! You must work for it! You must go through the challenge and the fire today! You'll be given instructions. You will comply to my instructions. If you do not comply, your cadres will come back out here and cape you. Do you understand? Yes, sergeant! Are you ready for this? Yes, sergeant! Are you ready for this? Yes, sergeant! To break completely with their old life, the recruits will have to comply with the discipline and follow the tight schedule. Back in their dormitories. The girls have two minutes to tidy away their belongings. We do not make my time half. So when we do not make my time half, I give you something to motivate you to say, you know what, I better make Sergeant Matthews' time half next time. One slip leads to immediate punishment. For the boys, it's the same deal. I'm going to come by and adjust you guys. I'm going to adjust your hand, okay? Yes, sergeant. With Sergeant Yin, the salute must be correct to the millimetre. Close your thumb up. I'm teaching my candidates here during the ceremony. Right now we're doing peace of arms. We use peace of arms to salute flags, officers, show respect to board members. Can I fix your position? Yes, sir. Get my hand right here, okay? Close your fingers up, all right? Okay, now put it right here. Now lower this down a little bit, okay? Got it? Yes, sergeant. Okay, good. At girls' camp, they learn to follow commands, even when coming out of the shower. For Marisol, 17 years old, the day has been tough. Like, it contains you, like, a little bit of anger. Because it's just like, I'm not used to these people. I don't even know you, and you're yelling at me. Yeah, I have to do everything timed, and it's very hard. And our cadres yell a lot. So it's very difficult not to snap at them. Because if I get snapped, I'm going to get kicked out. So I try my best just to keep my mouth shut. Even though it's a hard place to be. The only moment of respite is given in the evening. Here, that does not involve a telephone or a computer. Their only link with the outside world is by mail. This is the only time of day that Marisol is allowed to look at a photo of her daughter, Reyna, born a year ago. This is my daughter, Reyna. It's just very hard. Because I'm not used to not seeing my daughter. I don't know how she's doing, but I'm hoping she's doing okay. Marisol is going to have to put up with this distance for another five and a half months. For the duration of the boot camp, she has entrusted her baby with her sister, a sacrifice that she accepts in order to give her daughter the life she herself did not have. My whole life, I was just put down. My mom was very mean, very hard on us. She didn't really want us. She just wanted the money that came with us. So we would get hit a lot, a lot. And we never said anything because of the fact that we knew that if we did, it would get worse. So I'm just trying to better myself because I don't want to mess up and have my daughter taken away and be in my place. I have to do what I have to do, I guess. Because if I don't, I don't know where I'll end up. At the boys' camp, it's 8 p.m. and it's time for lights out. No! Your hands are... You are looking up at the ceiling above you or the boat above you. You are not moving. You are not moving! But nothing escapes Sergeant Brown's eye. Give me your book, candidate. Why do you have your book out? It's a Bible. I don't care. It's not authorized in acclamation phase. Do you understand? Yes, Sergeant. You will get this back in the morning? Yes, Sergeant. What's your name? Romo. Romo Sergeant. When you wake up in the morning, it is a new day. Whatever happened today is gone. Adjust! There's absolutely zero tolerance in this phase when it comes to having anything in bed to read. And that includes spiritual books. So right now it's hard, you know. Very hard on them, which is not me as a person. So acclamation phase is difficult for me to be as a cadre. But you can tell I don't have a voice. But it's very necessary. Very necessary. A few days later, the atmosphere is a little more relaxed. The theme of this new trial? Team spirit. At a height of 1 meter and 88 and weighing 140 kilos, for Nicholas to jump over this 3-meter wall is a real challenge. In his daily life, he lives as a recluse and never talks to anyone. But here, it is only thanks to his teammates that he can overcome this challenge. I wouldn't be able to do it by myself without my squad. It's still just another step to help this program. For Nicholas, this boot camp is an endurance test. Unlike the rest, he didn't come here out of choice. It was his mother who forced him to come so that he could get out of his bubble and learn to socialize. That is scary. That one looks hella fun. You okay? I can barely feel my arms. You feel your legs at least? It hurts like hell. It doesn't hurt like hell, I'm sure. Sergeant Yin keeps an eye on it. Because if Nicholas makes an effort today, he has only one idea in mind, to leave boot camp. You okay? I'm trying to push toward where I can get back to my mom. I told you. I'm not sure if I want to go to graduation. Well, I'm sure I want you at graduation. We're going to continue to push for graduation. At least I will and my team will. Anything to say? No, sir. Let's go! Nicholas became the sergeant's main project. This isn't the first time that he's expressed his desire to give up. Back at the dorm, Sergeant Yin will go to all costs to convince him to stay. Where's the canteen now? So why did you show up? My mom wanted me to do this, Sergeant. You want to make her proud? I don't know if I could continue with the program. You are on the team of the program. That's not your choice. It's my choice. You're here now. You're my responsibility. My mom probably wouldn't be proud if I gave up. If she sees you right now, I think she would be proud of you. I think she would. Because even though you are hurting, even though you're tired and exhausted, even though you doubt yourself, you're still trying, and you should be proud of yourself. How does that feel? Good, Sergeant. Good. Sergeant Yin thinks that he has convinced him to stay, but Nicholas will still give him a hard time. And he's not the only one. The next day, other recruits disobey orders. Sergeant Brown immediately reacts. Your actions speak louder than your words! And your actions show that you are failing! Some of you want to continue to move? Run in place! Go! You better keep your gear in your hands! Hurry up! I said hurry up! Get up! Hurry up! Let's go! Captains, be all clear. You would not run my Academy. Right now, there is a target on your chest, because you are failing to meet my expectations. This will continue day in and day out until you are right. And when I say you, I mean everybody. On your feet, five, four, three, two, one. So you're going to start paying your debts. I will get what I want, and you will get what you need. Do you understand? Yes, Sergeant! Jumping jacks, go! Let's go, boys, let's go! The boot camp's philosophy to regain control of life is well underway. For the soldiers, anything is possible through suffering. Stand up. And the slightest mistake will not be left unpunished. Put your hands over your head. Push-ups! This young man is having an asthma attack. He's on the verge of asphyxiation. Sergeant Yin knows about his illness, but this is the third time that the young boy has forgotten his inhaler. Where's your inhaler at? It's in the base. Whose fault is that? How many times did I tell you you've got your dog on the inhaler? Go get your inhaler! Go! I don't want to hurt anyone here. Even though I want the kids to be right, I'm not going to do it at the expense of their health and their life. Air crawl! It is in these extreme conditions that the boys and girls will undergo two weeks of the integration stage. Some will give up along the way. Others will become cadets and start cadet school. They will then go down a different path to the others. Forward! Left! Left! Very good, gentlemen. I shouldn't see anybody making bunks anymore. You've had plenty of time. Let's go. After two weeks, it's the big day at Stockton Boot Camp. No more grey tracksuits. The recruits are to wear the uniform. From now on, they are cadets. Only two of the 133 young people have cracked and given up after six days. Nicholas, though dragging his feet, is still there. At girls' camp, Marisol, too, is holding on. And as a cadet, she's earned a small reward. She's allowed to keep Reina's picture with her. So I passed my acclimation phase. Now I can carry her around with me and not get in trouble. It feels good. On the way to the cadet ceremony, the female cadets enjoy a moment of freedom. Having been deprived of music for 15 days, they can finally have fun. And it's the sergeants who are leading the way. You guys are the radio, so be loud. Let's love. You got to do it. You got to do it. You got to do it. Let's love. This is their time right now. They have fun, so it's all good. You have to let them have that every now and then before they bring it down back to the structure. But I like seeing this a lot. And Sergeant Montiel takes the opportunity to show them his hidden talents. I think it's really cool. Because we never see the, like, yeah. We never see their personalities. You show them a little softer side. They've earned it. They're not candidates anymore. They're now cadets. The cadet ceremony is an important step in rebuilding the lives of these young people who, until then, had missed out on life. We must show them that today they are on the road to success. Nervous. And to mark the event, it will take place on an aircraft carrier from the Second World War. The person congratulating them is Major Hudson, the head of the boot camp. All candidates have passed all evaluations, all tests, to now be called and considered a cadet. Do you approve, ma'am? Approval granted. Yes, ma'am. Oh, my God. This is happening. It's now time for Marisol's dedication. She and her fellow sufferers are received one by one on stage by the entire command team. Right now, take that bracelet. Put it on. As a symbol of their new cadet rank, they receive a red bracelet with a motto, Integrity. A great moment of pride for many, except for Nicholas, who keeps a rebellious spirit. It still just feels pretty neutral to me. For others, this ceremony marks the promise of a new life. See what just happened. You are a cadet. You are not wearing a uniform. Challenge starts now. You have school now. We will continue to challenge you because we believe in you. And because you are worth it. 24-7. Do you understand? Yes, sir. Do you understand? Yes, sir. How are we feeling? Good, sir. Back at the base, the cadets have another emotional moment. Tonight, they have permission to have a five-minute phone call with their family. This is the first time since their arrival two weeks ago. And the military have kept the surprise in store for Marisol. With her sister's complicity, they have brought in her daughter, Reina. With her new cadet status, Marisol will now have the right to see her daughter for one and a half hours a week. Oh, my God. She's like being scared. Hi, there, girl. You miss Mommy? You kissed? Okay, go ahead. Mommy got this for you. I got it because of you. This bracelet means a lot because of this bracelet, I get to wear this uniform. And because of this uniform, I get to call myself a cadet. I want to be a role model. Like, I want to be somebody in life. Being a mom means the world to me. Like, a lot of people are like, oh, you got pregnant at 16. Like, what the heck? Like, that's sad. Like, yes, it is. Like, I shouldn't have, you know? But I don't regret it because of her, I'm here right now. Because of her, I'm trying to better myself. As Marisol has come to boot camp, she also gets a second chance at school. Without a high school diploma, it's difficult to get a job and take care of her daughter, Reyna. Can she now make up for lost time? In Stockton, the kids have been on their journey to school for weeks. The school is located within the boot camp. Cheyenne is a delinquent with several car thefts and hit-and-run offenses on her criminal record. The judge has promised to drop the charges if she finishes boot camp. The court case wouldn't be dismissed if I didn't graduate. And so that's the main reason I'm doing it, and for my high school diploma. A lot is at stake now. Cheyenne's future is at stake, and for the moment, it's off to a bad start. Relegated to the back of the group, she must muster up the energy for push-ups and mountain climbers. What's going on, Chey? It's called camping. She's being punished for breaking a rule. One evening, she found herself kissing a girl in the showers located on her right. And here, when rules are broken, it's back to square one. It's basically the first two weeks how we were like that. In the sweats, that's what it is. So it's basically that all over again. But they pick the amount of days that they want it for. Cheyenne is no longer allowed to wear a uniform, but that's not all. She's waiting for another punishment, which will be decided by the disciplinary council. But what's negative 15.5 plus 17, you have to subtract 15 from 17. In the meantime, she's repeating her efforts to get her high school diploma. Unlike many others, there are only a few things left for her to complete in order to achieve this. I used to struggle in math, but this teacher helped me get it. So now it's getting a lot easier. I used to not be able to do a single problem myself, but I already did it all these years. These young people have fallen behind on school by several years. Before, I did not care. I wasn't at a regular school. I would go to a bunch of different schools, so I never felt like I fit in. I'd end up not going. Or sometimes I would do my work and not turn it in because I was too lazy. And I never had motivation to go every day. So I think here we have a push to go every day. So I'm page 73 to 74. Here there is no distraction, no phone. These previously undisciplined young people are now in check. And for good reason. The sergeants are never far away, and they have a close eye on them. We rotate in and out, just to make sure they're disciplined, they're being respectful. If they fall asleep, we take them outside, do a couple workouts, make sure they stay awake. It's 3 p.m. It's the end of class. But for Cheyenne, this is no good thing. It's time for her to face the disciplinary counsel. This young girl and her girlfriend will finally know what punishment they will suffer. Cheyenne has a lot at risk, because up until this point, she's denied the accusations against her. Her girlfriend, however, admitted that they kissed in the shower. Bowman, first one, let's go. Everyone else, back up. So you're going to give them the set of instructions on what to do. And listen up. So you're about to meet the other side of me, because I'm not very, really happy right now. Okay? You better figure out what you're going to tell me in that board. Because this is going to really decide what I'm going to do. Do you understand that? I'm nervous. But I think it's time it's back. Cheyenne has well understood the sergeant's message. She will quickly confess all. Center your cell phone, Sergeant Matthews. Speak up. Addis, why are you here today? And tell me about that. Tell me what happened. So what started all of this? That's the first honest thing I've heard from you about this situation. Because you've told many people different stories, including myself. If you make a mistake, that's fine. Just own up to it. Do you understand that? This time, Cheyenne confessed the truth. She's now waiting for the sergeant's verdict. All men, position of attention, move. In regards to your integrity issues, I am giving you 15 days of pre-challenge. Do you understand that? Position of attention, salute. Cheyenne will have to endure 15 days of harsh treatment and additional physical training. After three months, the cadets are allowed for the first time to return home to spend a weekend with the family. Before leaving, Sergeant Brown doesn't forget to give one last warning to her group, the Titans. You have very proud people standing right here in front of you. And over there waiting to take you home. So when you walk, I want you to be proud of where you have come from. Proud of what you have accomplished. And proud of where you are going to go. Because you have a bright future ahead of you. But it's up to you to do the right thing. And it starts with sounding off. Yes, Sergeant! Do you understand? Yes, Sergeant! Titans! Who are we? Titans! Who are we? Titans! Who are we? Titans! Who are we? The little sisters meet up with their older brothers to have four days of freedom far away from the military. Nicholas has emptied his locker. He intends to make the most of this opportunity by making a getaway. And we're just following the same plan we've had since the beginning. To just get out of this place and not come back. Why not? There's already just so much I need to do and being here is just a waste of time. I have to progress the same thing for my life. How do you think your mom is going to react? Do you think she's going to agree? What do you think? I'm really at the point where I don't really care how she reacts. It's my life and I'm trying to progress it instead of just being stuck in one place for the entirety of it. But in front of his mother, Nicholas will not talk in quite the same way. You ready? You're not taking the rest of your stuff. No, you don't. You're coming back so you'll get your stuff when you come back. You're coming back. That's the last time we're going to talk about it. No, you don't. You're coming back Monday. That's it. You have come way too far to turn back now. There's no turning back. We've had this conversation. You're finishing. You've changed so much already and you're going to keep going. And this is just the beginning of tough realizations for Nicholas. He hopes to get back to his room and his video games. But his mother, Sarah, has booked a weekend outdoors far from the screens in Santa Cruz on the California coast. Nicholas was seven years old when he started to get lost in the world of video games. Sarah may be partly responsible for her son's current state. I drank for about eight years. I've been sober for almost four and a half. So how was your relationship with Nick during that time? Distant, probably. Non-existent. I just, I would tell him to bring me beer. I stayed in the bedroom and watched TV and just alone. But he was just kind of, you know, playing video games. That's all he ever did. There's a thing I had to cope with with you doing that. My way of keeping myself separate from all that stuff. I just sunk even deeper into a world of games just to get away from it all. Basically play like role playing games, just like sink into a different life just to get away from the current one. To find something good. And at times still even have to do that every now and then. To hear him talk about it and to, you know, express emotion and feelings and his own thoughts is huge. Huge. And honestly, you know, three months ago he, I don't think he would do that. Sarah doesn't know it yet, but in a few weeks, Nicholas will give her another surprise. Cheyenne has also been allowed to go home. The disciplinary council and their punishments are behind her. She is preparing for an internship and not just any internship. The young delinquent car thief chose to spend half a day at the city's police station. I'm really excited for today because instead of being the person in trouble with them, I'm actually the one learning with them and going with them to see what they do. How are you? I'm good. I'm Brandy. Nice to meet you. Your makeup looks really pretty. It was Cheyenne's grandmother who organized the arrival of Officer Aguilar. She knows that her daughter has dreamed of joining the police since she was a child. This is something I've wanted forever. Like I've always wanted to stay behind the scenes. Oh no, there's a lot of pressure on me. Oh no, I better make it good. Off she goes for four hours of patrol. The last time Cheyenne was in a police van was for a very different reason. I was ripped out of a car at gunpoint at six in the morning because the cops grabbed me really hard and put me in handcuffs. Informed of this delinquent's background, Officer Aguilar knows about the agreement between Cheyenne and her judge to clear her criminal record at the end of boot camp. You did this stuff when you were like, you know, younger. Not younger, but I mean, when you're going through a hard time, Judge Stashen obviously saw something in you. Just having your back completely, that's a huge thing. And like, if I can change your mind about law enforcement, about you having any bad experiences with law enforcement or whatever, then I'm doing what I'm supposed to be doing. And Cheyenne will have an opportunity to discover how Officer Aguilar carries out her role. She's just spotted a car that's been stopped due to suspicion. What happened to your car? No plates? No nothing? Where's the paperwork? Hey, can you roll down this back window for me? How much weed do you got in the car? A little zip? Officer Aguilar first wants to check that the driver is unarmed. In the car, she has spotted marijuana. In California, holding up to 28 grams per person is allowed. She takes hold of a big package. How much is it? Okay. A stroke of luck. The driver does not exceed the authorized amount. He can leave again on the condition of putting his registration plate in order. Alright, we'll get you all your stuff. Thank you. You're welcome. Have a good day. I can't search it just because of the license plate. It doesn't give me any reason to get inside the car. If he was on probation, I could search his car, but I smelled weed. That's why I searched his car. He was super cooperative. Do you think he was high? No, he wasn't high. He was fine. He didn't have blood, bloodshot eyes, nothing. He wasn't showing any signs of being high. She's nice. I think she's nice. She was like smiling and laughing with him and usually they're like aggressive. I think that there should be a lot more female cops. I do too. I think they're better than men. Thank you. Now I can teach her how to be a cop. Cheyenne's grandmother was right. This may be the beginning of a vocation. She'll do great things. I see it. She will with people like you behind her. She's going to do great things. I can't wait to see you in a cadet uniform. Thank you. Bye. Have a good day. Cheyenne is now thinking of joining the police academy. But first, she has to return to boot camp. After three and a half months, the atmosphere has changed significantly. During the daily sports session, even music is allowed. And above all, it is now the cadets who, in turn, take control of the group, under the surveillance of Sergeant Brown. We kind of step back a little bit, and it's more cadet-run. So he gives out all the commands, he holds the time, because when they graduate, they're not going to have cadre here. More autonomy, more freedom. But even on this home stretch, everything must be earned. Before they can play volleyball, the girls must restore the land back into shape. Marisol does not object. Honestly, before I would not have done this. I would have been like, what the heck? No. You can clean it. But, like, they show you teamwork and responsibility, and know that things are not given to us. So this is a good thing for all of us to know that you have to work hard for what you want, and we're working hard right now. So it's a good thing. A lesson that Marisol has grasped, and will soon be invaluable when she faces life after boot camp. After five and a half months of hell, it's finally D-Day for Cheyenne, Marisol, Nicholas, and the other cadets of Stockton Boot Camp. At the boys' camp, Nicholas doesn't hide his joy. He's lost 23 kilos since his arrival. You guys can say it feels liberating. It's hard. It's hard. Moved, Sergeant Brown is also aware of the dangers awaiting her protégés when they leave the camp. It's scary for me to think about the kids going back into a bad situation, or them making a bad decision. That's the risk. All right, I'm not going to cry yet. Oh my God. You ready? Where's your bag? This departure is a return to reality for Marisol. This boot camp was a refuge for her after growing up in foster care. Where are you going to come out? I don't know. I have to go to school on Tuesday. I'm trying to get to transitional housing, so where they can help me get my own place. So I'm trying to figure out for now. On the verge of erasing her criminal record, Cheyenne's journey is coming to an end. But I remember the first day, I wanted so much to leave and everything. And now it's like, if I would have left, I never would have been able to accomplish everything that I've accomplished so far. And it was really worth the stay. This is the last order that they must carry out. The girls will never come back to this dormitory. I'm nervous. We're going to go back into the real world. But before embarking on a new life, the sergeants have a final tribute in store for the cadets. It's in Stockton. In the Grand Theater downtown, there will be a graduation ceremony for the boot camp. Families and relatives are in the room. For the cadets, the tension is at its height. All are waiting for the go-ahead. It will be given in a few moments. Nicholas is in charge of the orchestra. I have to play a song for all the other cadets when they walk in. And how do you feel? As nervous as I can get. Heads held high, the cadets proceed under the cheers of their relatives. Nicholas, the introvert, makes the whole room cry. The cadets are filled with pride at having finally accomplished something of this magnitude in their life. The time has come to hand over the diplomas, the only one that most of them will ever have received. Eighty-five percent of the young people have finished the camp, one of the highest success rates in the country. With an average score of 14, Matisol will soon get her high school diploma and achieve her dreams of becoming a nurse. Nicholas is not resentful of Sergeant Yin, who forced him to push his limits. Cheyenne got all the points she needed to achieve her high school diploma. She can now continue her studies at university. In the United States, almost 80 percent of the young people who leave these programs end up failing their exams and getting a job. Three and a half months after boot camp, Nicholas has returned to video games. He's returned to living in his room, isolated from the real world. Cheyenne did not go to university. She returned to a life of delinquency. She's currently wanted by the police. Matisol got reunited with her daughter, but has not found any housing. She lives from hotel to hotel, but she's holding on. She's about to get her high school diploma and enroll in nursing school.