DENTON -- It's a taste of college life for 19 teenagers in Denton.
They visited the University of North Texas from Cumberland Presbyterian Children's Home, the only foster care facility in the city.
"I've been through a lot of stuff that teenagers don't usually have to," one teen told us.
At the request of the children's home, News 8 isn't revealing the identity of the teens. But many of them are sharing their stories through a lesson in media arts at the college Wednesday.
"They are talked about," said UNT professor Jacqueline Vickery, “but they're rarely given an opportunity for their voices to be heard."
Student teachers helped the teens bring their stories to life through sound and video.
"Our group has gotten close," said UNT senior Savannah Vela. "It's been cool."
If they like the experience, college could be in their future.
Under Texas law, teens who turn 18 or graduate high school while in foster care, are eligible for free tuition and waived fees. Despite this, only around three percent of teens in foster care end up going to college in Texas every year, according to Vickery.
"We want to de-mystify college," she said. "We want them to know this is a public university, and they're a part of the public."
For one teen participating in the class, the experience has made her decision easy.
"I'm going to college right after high school, for sure," she said.