From a Foster Parent…Thank you!

Dear Mr. Strickland,
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> I felt strongly to reach out and thank you.
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> You have a true teacher's heart. My mom was a GED teacher and taught kids and adults, some of whom people did not hold out hope for. She too has a true teachers heart, which is how I learned to recognize one.
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> The impact you had on our family has been very long lasting. Your daytime classes were a huge blessing. I am truly thankful and count your program and your instruction of taekwondo as a huge blessing. You help strengthen our daughters, Mandy and Renee, and helped give them confidence, both mentally and physically. With their foster care and trauma backgrounds it taught them so many valuable skills, and discipline, and to help keep themselves safe.
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> Your course taught our other two children some skills that weren't always used in their youth for good, but that is ok. At the end of the day God is above, and none of us can frustrate his work. Everything always works together for good somehow, someway and in his timing.
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> I just wanted you to know that Renee, 19, is now in college in Idaho. I have to give full credit to God and to Renee's hard work in strengthening her life. Renee has tried, and worked hard to overcome her early childhood. Renee just recently put in her Mission paperwork, as she has talked and prepared for a mission for years now as something she wanted to do. I know that no matter where in the world she goes for that year and a half, that she will know how to help keep herself safe, and has been trained by you in doing so.
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> Mandy, 15, has blossomed into an artist who had her own booth at the Highland Village art show a couple years ago. She is an outstanding cook and loves to write. She has used the skills she was taught by you over the years to help keep herself safe when we have had challenging situations. She gained confidence from your class and discipline.
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> Robby, 16, is coming into his own. He is finally to the point where he is maturing and leaving behind all of the trauma from the past, and not creating new trauma for himself and those around him. He is talking about college and wants to serve in the military someday. It has been a very, very long road. To see all of his strengths combining is something to behold. You were an excellent example of someone with intelligence and strength who used it for good. You were a great role model for him.
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> Martia, 17, has had four lengthy State hospitalizations and two Mental Health Court commitments. We have worked with State Representative Tan Parker's office to keep getting her the mental health she has needed. We have worked with the State at the highest levels of HHSC. The Governor's office even intervened at one point in early 2020. She continues to have severe mental health issues. We're doing everything we can to try and help Martia get to her brighter future we have pure hope lies ahead of her.
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> I know you have had a lot of students and you have impacted hundreds and hundreds of lives. These are just four of the lives you have impacted - two lives in our family especially so.
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> Thank you, Mr. Strickland, with all of the Gardiner family's heart.
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> I truly hope life is going well for you and your loved ones. Thank you for being a teacher. Thank you for having taught Renee and Mandy. David and I have so many blessings to count. I was thanking God tonight for a long list of things I was so thankful for. You came to mind specifically, and I wanted to make sure we let you know we are thankful for you.
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> Please take care. Thank you very much, Mr. Strickland!
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> Irene & David Gardiner
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