Lauren Watts Garcia has traveled quite a bit since her 2013 graduation from Roxboro Community School (RCS). She and her husband, Tyler Garcia, now live in Oklahoma, after a few years in Washington state, where Lauren earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Eastern Washington University.
After moving to Oklahoma and earning a master’s degree in psychology through Southern New Hampshire University’s online program, Lauren now works for a nonprofit organization that connects the community with mental health resources. She is the lead case manager for two Oklahoma clinics and also provides peer and rehabilitation services to clients.
Lauren said the most rewarding part of her work is “seeing real, positive changes that [she has] helped to create or inspire” in her clients. She said, although her work can be challenging, she loves doing it.
“I have always been interested in the field of psychology,” she said, “and learned along the way how I can use my personal skills and strengths to best serve the community.”
She met her husband while in high school at RCS, she said, and, over the past decade, they have lived in two states, “adopted a few animals, both earned degrees, and continued to pursue our careers.” Tyler is serving in the Air Force. Lauren said, “I am proud of the progress we have made together” since moving from North Carolina.
Recalling her days at RCS – from seventh through 12th grades – Lauren said she participated in volleyball and cross country but “neither were [her] calling.” She added, “To this day, my best friend makes fun of me for slipping in water during volleyball practice and falling dramatically in the gym.” She said, “We had to practice at other gyms around town because RCS didn’t have theirs finished yet.” The on-campus gym was completed in 2016, following a successful fundraising campaign.
Lauren was also involved in Beta Club at RCS. She fondly recalled that “RCS was a smaller school, but filled with a closeness that is special and made for a fun-filled experience.” She said, although they are adults now, she and many of her classmates are still friends and keep in touch, “mimicking that small-town friendship that [they] all have fostered all these years.”
While in high school, Lauren said, she “heard some scary stories about college but never once felt incapable or ill-prepared during my experience, likely thanks to RCS.”
She said, along with school, her family and close friends have “always helped and supported” her. “I was lucky to have a teacher in the family,” she added, “as well as a hometown where I felt known and loved.”