Kayla Ridgeway, 9, right, ties her shoe while her older sister, Patricia Garcia, talks to her about straightening her hair for tomorrow’s school day.

Seventeen-year-old Garcia carries more responsibility than most other teenagers in Nelson County, helping her parents raise her seven younger siblings, who range in age from 2 to 11.

“I have to put them before me,” she said.

Garcia has been on the honor roll since she was a high school freshman. Some of her responsibilities at home include feeding, disciplining and helping with homework – before and after school. She usually gets around to doing her own homework after her brothers and sisters go to bed around 8 p.m.

“Sometimes I just want to pull my hair out,” Garcia said. “Usually I get away at school. I get out about once a week.”

Tyler Pelan is a junior photojournalism major from Champaign, Ill. He can be reached at [email protected].