This past weekend one of our youth was given the opportunity to pursue her dreams.

Growing up, she knew only abuse and abandonment, living in cars with her mother and never having a stable living environment. Since then, she has lived in multiple foster homes, seeking adoption.

In the last few years, she's become a cheerleader at her high school. She attends practice and games every week with the squad. This is one of the first times in her life that she's been able to be just a teenager with no other worries. Cheerleading has become not only a diversion, but a passion and a place where she finds community and confidence, and where she finally feels a sense of belonging. One of her dreams is to meet professional cheerleaders and to experience cheerleading on the next level.

At the Keeping Dreams Alive Banquet this past weekend, Realities for Children made this dream a reality. This young woman will be participating in a 7-month cheerleading training camp with the Denver Bronco's Cheerleaders! She'll be fitted for her very own uniform and will have the opportunity to cheer at 4 home games with the team. Two of the Bronco's cheerleaders were on hand to present the award to a very excited young woman at Saturday's Banquet.

This is just one example of how Realities for Children, really is Keeping Dreams Alive for youth in our community who are coming out of a childhood marred by abuse and neglect. As the Matthews House staff helped with the nomination process, this young woman told us that "Every time I have wished for something it has not come true…" For this young woman, this is her first opportunity to really see that dreams are worth having because they really can come true.

Read more about the relationship of the Matthews House to Realities for Children here.