Real-life testimonials from past participants
 Since coming to TI I have learned so much. The biggest thing for me though is my self-confidence. If someone told me in the beginning of the week that I would get up and dance in front of the entire camp
alone I absolutely would not have believed them. Now I am so happy that I did. You have really helped me. So….thank you. –Evelyn Hanneman. |  TI is my home away from home. Thank you for the endless love and support <3 |  Thanks for helping me with my problem that I thought was never going to end. |
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 I love how I am accepted here without having to change anything about me. |  Thank you for being somewhere I can be myself, even though I don't know that is yet. -Kaitlin |  Life changing. Unforgetting. Thank you. |
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 Thank you for the amazing week. I love you all. It’s going to be painful to leave my second family. I’ll miss you so much. I’ve never felt so loved by people I hardly knew before. |  Teen Institute changed my life in the best way possible and I am thankful I met everyone in this program. This place I will never forget always a place in my heart for this camp. I am sad to leave. May we all meet again someday. <3 Juan |  The Teen Institute saved my life <3
2015 |
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 I’m thankful to TI for the most uplifting experience I’ve ever had. And for letting me open up and begin to heal. |  TI has given me new hope. It has let me restart. TI has given me the opportunity to discover myself. It has also allowed me to grow, like a tree. Before I was not confident and did not accept myself. I always wantd to be someone else but now I feel free to be ME! Thank you, Derek |  I learned that I am important. I am worth it. I am beautiful. Thank you. |
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 I never wanted to come here. But when I did, I realized how amazing this is. I can say my life will be changed positively from the experience. |  My experience at this camp has let me live my life openly and with light. I have never been so confident in myself, and I am so proud to say that this is me and I love it. In two words? LIFE CHANGING. |  TI is
friendship
acceptance
empowerment
family
LOVE |
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 I’m so glad I made new friends, I barely had any so it was a great feeling to feel loved and wanted for once. –Melissa Content |  This has been such an eye-opening experience for me. I’ll be less quick to judge others in the future, because you never know someone’s story. |  TI is for everyone. My experience was….eye opening, moving, inspirational, accepting, loving, caring. |
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 Thank you for parting the clouds to let my sun shine through. |  Funnest week ever. |  Thank you so much for everything this week. I greatly appreciate it. I had such an amazing and wonderful time being a part of Teen Institute. I met so many great and wonderful, beautiful people this week. I’ve met so many great friends that I hope to stay in contact with in the future once this amazing
life-changing experience is over. My experiences here are just wonderful and I hope to share them with my community when I go back. Thank you again. –Kelsey Dunn |
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 I want to thank all of the people who believed in me wherever I went –Shanda
Christopher |  Thank you so much for the opportunity that you have given me. Meeting all these great people and
getting a chance to learn so much about myself. I love you all and I just want to say thank you. You’ve
changed my life. XOXO. –Jesika Ortiz |  Wow! I am ok. I <3 me. |
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