Being at Bement, I felt safe to be myself, to let the crazy really shine through.  I didn't have to have the coolest clothes or the newest shoes to fit in, and I didn't have to be the best at anything.  I was accepted because I was me.  Loud, obnoxious, crazy me.  I could try new things without being afraid to fail, because I knew that if I did, I'd still be supported by my Bement family.  Because of Bement, I went from the shy, quiet kid to the leader of morning Celebration, a challenge course facilitator, and overall crazy loudmouth.  And also, because of Bement, there are very few "normal" pictures of me, where I'm not painted blue, dressed as a superhero, wearing lots of bold, flashy, mis-matched clothes, or covered in mud from the mud pits :)