成人抖阴

AVON PARK, Fla. 鈥� May 7, 2025 鈥� Melissa Garner wants to help others who struggle with self-esteem by becoming a psychologist. On Thursday, May 8, she will be the student speaker during 成人抖阴鈥檚 (成人抖阴) 5:30 p.m. spring Commencement ceremony at the Alan Jay Wildstein Center for the Performing Arts on the Highlands Campus in Avon Park. At the same time, the Highlands County resident will earn her Associate in Arts (AA). She will be the first in her family to earn a college degree.

Growing up, Garner lived in a small town outside of Detroit, Mich. Through much of her life, she struggled with ADHD and bipolar depression. 鈥淚 was always on the outside, on the outskirts, and I never had the same style as everyone else,鈥� she said. Throughout middle school, she would express herself by wearing chains and spikes, donning funky hairdos and hair colors.

鈥淚n high school, things got worse,鈥� she said. 鈥淭he insults I experienced got meaner. Cliques became more defined in high school. I wasn鈥檛 a jock or cheerleader. I wasn鈥檛 good in school, not because I wasn鈥檛 smart. It鈥檚 just that when your self-esteem is down to zero, you don鈥檛 have any motivation to do better or anything better with your life. The kids put me down so much that I had no will to do my homework. However, I tested out of this world on my ACT scores 鈥� I was in the top 10 in my class and top 25 in the state. As a student, I wasn鈥檛 in the popular crowd, so you instill yourself with negative thoughts instead of pushing them away and finding healthier coping mechanisms.鈥�

As a teenager, she attempted suicide a few times and feels that if someone had been available during those years who she could talk to, she might never have tried to harm herself. Although a counselor was available to students at her high school, Garner felt it wasn鈥檛 enough. 鈥淎 friend of mine had expressed thoughts of committing suicide and, instead of getting him help, the counselor suspended him for talking about violence,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hen, he killed himself. That鈥檚 one of my motivations to become a psychologist.鈥�

She, eventually, wants to start a nonprofit where trained therapists can speak with children, maybe help to stop school shootings, and prevent suicides. She wants to earn a doctorate in Psychology in hope of making a change.

鈥淚 had so many absences from my high school in Michigan, because I just didn鈥檛 want to endure the nasty comments,鈥� Garner said. 鈥淪o, my dad suggested I go through a GED program to get my high school diploma. Which I did.鈥�

聽In 2009, when she was 19 years old, her family moved to Sebring. 鈥淚 later got involved with someone I knew from my high school in Michigan,鈥� Garner said. 鈥淚鈥檇 been back and forth from Florida to Michigan and reconnected with a high school friend. He had gone from this nerdy, awkward kid to being this gorgeous man. We began dating a bit and then I became pregnant and had my daughter at age 24. However, he decided he wasn鈥檛 ready to be a father and I came back to my parents鈥� home in Sebring. When my daughter was 18 months old, I received the news that her father had gotten hooked on heroin and died from heroin and cocaine toxicity.鈥�

In the meantime, Garner worked for 15 years in the kitchens of local restaurants. 鈥淚t got to a point where a lot of workplace hostility was going on,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 often a high stress work environment. One day, my daughter said to me, 鈥業 want to work in a restaurant when I grow up so that I can have a nice car.鈥欌��

That startled Garner. 鈥淣o, Mom鈥檚 got to be a better role model,鈥� she thought. Then said to her daughter, 鈥淢ommy鈥檚 going to college, so you won鈥檛 be working at a restaurant for the rest of your life. We鈥檙e going to have bigger goals.鈥�

Garner was admitted to 成人抖阴 and began taking an art class with Professor Karla Respress. 鈥淗er son and my daughter go to the same school and had early release one day,鈥� Garner said. 鈥淭hey both came to Karla鈥檚 pottery studio, and her son taught my daughter how to use different glazes for pottery. Not only did it make it easier for me to be able to continue with my class, but my daughter later said, 鈥業鈥檝e changed my mind, Mommy. I want to be an art teacher.鈥�

Garner has been an active member of the College鈥檚 Brain Bowl team. 鈥淏ecause people in Brain Bowl come from all walks of life, it helps you connect with different cultures, backgrounds, and identities,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t opens your mind to a different crowd of people that you normally might not hang out with. But they鈥檙e all super smart and I got comfortable with them. Then, they became like a family that I鈥檝e chosen for myself.鈥�

Garner also became president of the College鈥檚 Theater Club. And she鈥檚 participated in undergraduate research while at the College. She did a presentation on how to throw a clay pot on a wheel and discussed how to choose the right clay for the right project. She was also involved in a project and presentation on biological art.

Garner aspires to continue her education at the University of South Florida shortly after graduation to major in Psychology and, eventually, work toward a doctorate.

Garner鈥檚 advice to others who are struggling in life: 鈥淒on鈥檛 let your minor failures or experiences in high school define what your future is going to be. High school is a totally different experience than college. In college, they celebrate your differences, cultures, and聽 identity. In college, you get outside the box, be yourself, try new things, experiment. Do the coursework and decide whether it鈥檚 for you or not. You can always stop, but don鈥檛 let an opportunity pass you by because you鈥檙e unsure of yourself.鈥�