A current class of 26 Bearkat and class of 23 Buccaneer, Carina is now a Disney College Program (DCP)participant. She went to Tokyo Disney and Disneyland and had never been to Disney World until after starting the DCP. She loves swimming and spending time with friends and family. She is also a certified Lifeguard Instructor and was the city of Bryan Water Safety Coordinator, meaning she was over the swimming instructors for the city of Bryan. She is not sure what she wants to be when she grows up but has many options open to her.
Carina is the daughter of Pastor Jerry and has always been involved in church and faith communities. She has participated in communities when sometimes she might not have felt the call to be there. “I went because my dad was the pastor,” Carina said about Treehouse, “but the people were cool, so I stayed.” Carina commented, “I wasn’t looking for anything from Treehouse, I went because my dad was the pastor.” She was trying to keep the family happy but in doing that she found a place to belong. “Everyone at Treehouse is so supportive in helping with life decisions and just being friends,” Carina articulated, “the people there made me feel like I had a place when I wasn’t sure what my place was.”
Treehouse is a place she belongs, not because she is the pastor’s kid, but because she is accepted as she is. “I will miss being with my Treehouse friends, to hear about their daily goings on, and being involved with them,” Carina expressed as she will be at Disney this semester, “but my Treehouse friends are friends I will have forever.”