BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — Friday we followed up on the journey of a North High School senior who we first spoke to a year ago before she attended her first dance. Now she's looking to conquer the first step towards her independence by learning how to walk for the first time.
When we first met Halle Halloway she was just a 17 year old getting ready for her first dance at the night to shine event in Bakersfield with only one plan in mind, "I will just have a good time!" Halle said.
However, now at age 18 the North High School senior has bigger aspirations,"I want to make my mom proud of me and my whole teachers,"Halle said.
For the last several months Halle has been pushing past the pain that comes with her physical disability, cerebral palsey. The disability hinders her muscle movements but she said she won't let it stop her from achieving her goal on graduation night in a couple months, "I just want to see my mom's expression when i walk across the stage," Halle said.
According to Halle she has been dedicated to practicing with her instructional assistant numerous times a week so that she can get her diploma the way she wants to. However, like any journey Halle said there has still been a few bumps in the road, "I crash a lot so yea."
Halle said when she falls she always gets back up and that the process has helped her learn more about herself and her work ethic, "A lot of strength that I have and it's a lot of fun to walk."
Halle is also no longer concentrating on taking it slowly.."No I just want to run!" Halle said while walking swiftly along campus with the help of her walker. Halle also said she is now focusing on taking bigger strides so that she can gain her full independence one day and hopefully give back to her mom after she graduates, "Like helping paying bills cause I am going to help her with that, once I graduate here I said I would help her with that."
Her instructional assistant also believes she has what it takes to conquer the goals she sets now and in the future, "Halle will walk across the stage, she will get her diploma in her hand and walk away from the principal after shaking her hand. That's been here dream and I tell you now she has done everything to achieve it," North High School Instructional Assistant Robert Bray said.
As for Halle she's just excited about taking the next step towards what she now knows lies ahead for her after she crosses the stage at graduation in May, "The future holds a lot of great things for me!" Halle said.
Halle's graduation is on May 30, and she said that after she graduates she hopes to attend Bakersfield College and eventually work towards becoming a lawyer one day.
