TEONNA MOTON

TeOnna Moton

TeOnna is fifteen. Her nickname is “Biggie.” She’s a twin. Her younger sister is called—you might have guessed—“Smallie.”

TeOnna attended her first Metro Kidz program when she was three. She was instantly hooked. She faithfully came to every program. Her focus on Dallas Metro was unwavering. Not even bullets flying near her could change that focus.

One day she was attending a Metro program in her neighborhood—when a blaze of gunfire interrupted the show. Men with handguns and shotguns were going at each other. She ran and hid under the sidewalk truck to avoid the bullets. Some 150 kids hunkered down on the outdoor basketball court while the firefight raged around them. Undeterred and unshaken, TeOnna was at the next Metro program.

When she was in fifth grade she asked if she could help Metro by visiting the kids in her neighborhood to tell them about upcoming Metro programs. So she did. By the time seventh grade rolled around, she was part of the teaching team on the sidewalk truck. She was teaching the same lessons that she was taught and she was teaching the lessons in the same neighborhood where she originally learned them.

Although she's only in the tenth grade, TeOnna will graduate from high school next year.

“In middle school I took a lot of advanced classes for extra credit, so I will graduate a year earlier than normal,” she explains. “My favorite subjects are math and science. In ninth grade I got straight one hundreds on every geometry test.”

After that early graduation, what comes next for the inquisitive teenager.

“I do want to go to college, but I haven’t decided where yet.”

Even though she hasn’t decided where she wants take her college courses, TeOnna says she has decided what she wants to study in college. “I want to go into the ministry.”

Her love of the ministry began—and continues—at Dallas Metro

“When I’m not in school, I’m volunteering at Dallas Metro. I’m here four or five days a week, every week. I help with kid’s church and Bible studies. On Saturdays I help with the Metro Kidz programs. I’m here a lot.”

Why does TeOnna have such a strong commitment to being a part of the Dallas Metro outreach? She says the reason is simple.

“Dallas Metro was there for me and now it makes me feel good to be there for someone else.”