Davinia was a fighter before she came to the Villa six years ago. She put herself in volatile situations, argued, fought, and couldn't let any conflict go. She wanted nothing to do with public school.
Dooley School at St. Joseph's Villa helped Davinia get to a good place.
"I feel like the staff respect me. They have to remind me of the rules sometimes, but each day I speak to them and they speak to me...every last one of them."
Davinia says Dooley School staff helped teach her patience, to ignore negativity, and to listen to what others have to say.
Today she's sharing her lessons learned by serving as a mentor to Dooley School's elementary students
, and helping them reduce the same behavioral issues she once had. She does her best to model how working hard in school can help you succeed.
"I love kids. They're amazing and hilarious. Working with them brings joy to me," she said.
Davinia is preparing for her next chapter with help from our Career and Transition Services (CATS). Through the CATS program, she has toured local universities and gained hands-on work experience at the Villa's campus training sites like the culinary arts center. She also works with staff to organize the Donation Center and the Dooley School library, and keep them welcoming for other Villa students. CATS even helped her register to vote so she can go to the polls with her grandmother. With a bright future ahead, Davinia plans to graduate from high school this year.
