Diane Crooks:  

Isn't it strange to look at people you grew up with 25 years later? When I look back at where I've been and where I've come to, I am really amazed at how things have taken shape. As most kids did, I had parents that divorced when I was young. I grew up between Santee and Alpine and bounced back and forth a few times. Therefore, I post as attending Valhalla and Santana. I also attended Cajon Park Elementary/Middle and Chapprell Middle (now Joan McQueen). After High School, I met and married my first husband, Neal. We had a daughter, and named her Jessica. Neal had an unfortunate habit of methamphetamine use that he could not overcome. We were divorced after 3 years. Towards the end of those three years I had been working two remedial jobs to support us. Exhausted, stressed and broke, I quit those jobs and went on welfare. I spent almost two years getting my head together and learning how not to be an enabler. The most beneficial part was spending quality time with my daughter, Jessica. One day a Junior College catalog came to the house I was renting a ro...Expand for more