Andrea "Poqui" Bergara

July 31, 2009— -- Andrea "Poqui" Bergara

Hometown: Austin, Texas

Age: 13

Weight: 180 pounds

Goal: Lose 15-20 pounds

Andrea's essay:

Hi, my name is Andrea. But a lot of people call me Poqui. I've been overweight most all of my life. I cry myself to sleep almost every night because of all the teasing I get from school, "Hey when's your baby due," they say.

I feel like people can't see me for who I am, the real me 'cause of all the weight I have on. I ask myself why me, what did I do?

If I just had a chance, I could be who I really want to be outside and in, so then I could get a chance from everyone else, instead of them judging me. It kind of feels like being on a football team, just waiting for the coach to put me in so I can show what I can do.

I can't help thinking to myself all the possibilities of what I could do with all the weight I can get off. Like tying my shoes with out a strain, or maybe I can run around the track without stopping to take a breath.

I have gone on numerous diets, but nothing seems to help, I eat less than my friends and they seem to lose weight and I only gain. I get mad because when girls at school say they're fat, but then I look at them and then myself and wonder what they have to complain about.

I know if given the chance at a camp with programs, schedule and counselors I can succeed. I am a hard worker. I am a pitcher for my league's softball team. During the summers I usually make all-stars as the pitcher and even with all the activity in the hot Texas summers, I still can't seem to lose weight.

Imagine me one day walking down the halls of school with confidence. No one looking at me in disgust. I'm going to be a whole new person, free to express myself for who I really am.

If you choose me, I will work hard, earn my place at camp, even writing about it right now gets me really excited. I can't stop thinking about this camp and even have dreams about it. It's like an inspiration imagining all the possibilities in my life.