Anne Faraday Transcends Her Childhood Trauma

Lately, when a party is thrown at , it wouldn't be much of a stretch to say that it is in Anne Faraday's honor.

Her advanced drama class threw her a surprise party when she received a San Jose Sharks Scholarship before graduation, and then several others posted congratulations notes to her on El Estoque Online, an electronic newsletter of Monta Vista.

Faraday graduated with one more honor, a Justin Perkins Sandlot Award, for her outstanding community service. Her former literature teacher, Mikki McMillion, threw her a party in celebration of the award.

"There couldn't be a more perfect fit for the award," said McMillion, who had recommended Faraday for both the Justin Perkins Sandlot Award and the San Jose Sharks Scholarship.

Faraday has been a youth leader at her church since seventh grade. Bilingual in English and Mandarin, she also helped senior citizens study for their citizenship tests in the two languages at the Santa Clara Catholic Charities one summer. Most impressive of all, she maintained a 3.8 GPA while battling family and financial troubles.

McMillion said she understands Faraday very well, because they kept in touch after the literature class in Faraday's junior year. McMillion hired Faraday as a summer babysitter, knowing a summer job for Faraday would be a little help to her single mother, who raised Faraday and her brother on an accounting assistant's moderate income.

According to Faraday, when she was in first grade, her mother ran away from Faraday's abusive father, taking Faraday and her younger brother with her. The three stayed in a shelter for seven months until they had to make room for newcomers.

Faraday said her mother, Michelle, worked at a school cafeteria for low wages and was unable to support the two children. Then she became desperate and resorted to returning to her drug-addicted husband. They endured more physical and mental abuse until a relative in Cupertino offered to take them in.

After moving to Cupertino in 2001, Michelle first worked on the assembly line of a fiber optics factory. Soon her manager realized that she had done entry-level accounting in her birthplace of Taiwan, and promoted her to accounting assistant. Finally the single mother and her two children were able to move out of their relative's house to a rental apartment.

Michelle, who first came to America as an adult immigrant, told Cupertino Patch in Mandarin that she would like her story to encourage other abused women to leave their abusive men and build a new life.

"We really must thank many people for where we are today," said Michelle in Mandarin. "People in our church, the children's teachers, and many others. I hope other abused women realize there's help out there and reach out."

Michelle now takes a dance class and attends church activities on weeknights and weekends to enjoy her spare time. She sets a role model for her children to put the traumatic past behind.

"I always tell my children not to look back, but to look forward," said Michelle.

Apparently, Faraday follows her mother's advice. She said she doesn't dwell on her childhood trauma but often thinks of how much help she received, and reminds herself of giving back to the community.

In the meantime, she has been active in school. She was a member of the girls water polo team for three years and involved with the theatre department all four years of high school.

"I enjoy theater a lot," said Faraday. "I like the type of community it brings. Everyone depends on everyone else to get things done. I also like water polo as a team sport. I'm a people person."

This summer Faraday will once again be part of a team. She is going with a group of her church to a ministry in New Jersey, to volunteer at the ministry-affiliated rehabilitation center for those who suffer abuse or eating disorders.

Faraday said she would like to work with people, especially with children, in her future career. She hasn't declared her college major yet, but she said it will probably be science-related to prepare her for medical school.

"I'm thinking about becoming a pediatrician," she said.

Click here to learn more about the Justin Perkins Sandlot Award.