What Happened Next?
Some days, the pain Cheyenne felt was unbearable. Throbbing
toothaches were disrupting her life. At night she couldn’t sleep, and during
the day she couldn’t stop visiting the nurse’s office. Her visible suffering
was brought to the attention of Cassie Myers, the site coordinator at
Communities In Schools of Ottawa, Kansas.
In meeting with Cheyenne, then a junior at Ottawa High
School, Myers discovered a teen struggling with low self-esteem and living in
an unstable home environment. She had recently moved to live with her older
brother and his family. And because she could not afford it, Cheyenne’s dental
health had gone unchecked for eight years.
Myers immediately arranged for Cheyenne to receive free
dental treatment. Finally, after several trips to the dentist, Cheyenne was
pain-free. Then Myers helped Cheyenne apply for and receive state health
insurance. Myers also supported Cheyenne’s emotional well-being so she could
refocus on school.
Myers met regularly with Cheyenne to discuss her plans for
the future. She became a constant reminder that in order to build the life
Cheyenne wanted, she needed an education. With hard work and determination,
Cheyenne, who had finished her sophomore year with a 1.9 GPA, completed her
final senior marking period with a 4.0.
