Thu
May 17 2007
08:43 am
Homeless teen survival...
By: bizgrrl

A young man made homeless at 16 overcomes learning disabilities, missing mother, and crack cocaine father to graduate high school with a 3.7 GPA. He had a little help from a neighbor who allowed him to stay in her shed (she offered a place on the floor in her home) and a mentor at the Edgewater High School he attended.

From the Orlando Sentinel, ...By his junior year, he was still aiming for a special diploma for teens who can't quite meet the demands of high school. Teachers told him, however, that with two years of night- and summer-school classes, he still could get a regular diploma.
...
But quitting was just too easy, he said.

"Knowledge is power," he likes to say. "It will give me an easier life."

This month, he won a full scholarship to Mid Florida Tech to study computer-support services, as well as Edgewater's outstanding academic-achievement award. He passed on a career with the U.S. Marines out of deference to his father, who said he didn't want to see his son die in Iraq.

Best wishes for the future to this young man in the Sunshine State in the land of a chicken in every pot and a car in every garage.

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Tess's picture

Quite an inspirational story

Submitted by Tess on Thu, 2007/05/17 - 11:58am.

Good for him. Life isn't easy for a lot of people, and it is good to hear about a young man who can make such an uphill climb and not give up. I hope the dragons stay with him and continue to protect him.

Thelma Stewart's picture

an x homeless youth

Submitted by Thelma Stewart (not verified) on Thu, 2011/03/10 - 2:46pm.

I grew up on the streets from 11-25..have been off of them now for 8 years and am now in my 1st semester in college..you can turn your life around..I did

MartyD's picture

This is the best story I

Submitted by MartyD on Thu, 2007/05/17 - 5:10pm.

This is the best story I have seen in a long time. Good for him! And good for his father who didn't want his son involved in W's video game war.

Wayne's picture

Great story

Submitted by Wayne on Thu, 2007/05/17 - 7:38pm.

This should be an inspiration to anyone who thinks they have a tough life. I work in the mental health field (not in telcom) as alleged on my legislative alert comments. MartyD-why inject politics in a story of the power of the human spirit? No dragons neccesary. However, I'm sure that a few angels were and continue to be sent his way,

MartyD's picture

I quite agree about the

Submitted by MartyD on Fri, 2007/05/18 - 11:15am.

I quite agree about the angels! I didn't intend to inject politics into it. it's just that so many parents, for whatever reason, don't try to talk their kids out of military service at this time. I am very happy his dad did. I think this "young'un" will have a good and productive life.

Andy Axel's picture

(a) The story mentioned this

Submitted by Andy Axel on Thu, 2007/05/17 - 10:31pm.

(a) The story mentioned this person sensibly opting out of going to war. Reading is fundamental.

(b) Mental health professionals should know not to rely upon angels. They're notoriously unreliable.

____________________________

Deliver this message to the one I love the most:
"I've lost all my money to a 300 pound ghost."
Squeaky was a sad child; the product of neglect.
Got stoned by a jellyfish demanding her respect...

Up Goose Creek's picture

Homeless?

Submitted by Up Goose Creek on Fri, 2007/05/18 - 5:03am.

It sounds like this young man had a home, albeit a very modest one. Equally important was he had people around who really cared about him.
___________________________________
Less is the new More - Karrie Jacobs

Wayne's picture

Military service

Submitted by Wayne on Fri, 2007/05/18 - 1:25pm.

When did joining the military become something we should talk our kids out of? As for me I would be proud to have my son or daughter join. I would join now if I was young enough for them to take me. Do you enjoy the freedom to express your views on this blog or any other pubic forum? If you do thank a vet or current service member. As for me, I'll keep praying for angels to do what they have been doing all along. Helping all of us.

MartyD's picture

I have many vets in my

Submitted by MartyD on Sat, 2007/05/19 - 7:01am.

I have many vets in my family.... My husband is a Koreann war vet, My youngest son is a vet of the Bosnia situation. If I had another child of military age you'd better believe I'd try my best to talk him or her out of going in to fight for Bush's pride and stubbornness. Until Bush/Cheney have some family on the ground in Iraq I do not want any more American young people wasted. I am all for patriotism and loving one's country but waste is waste and this war in Iraq has been a senseless waste staged and carried out by senseless leaders and I want no more to do with it.

Andy Axel's picture

When did joining the

Submitted by Andy Axel on Fri, 2007/05/18 - 1:48pm.

When did joining the military become something we should talk our kids out of?

When did it become your business to dismiss a perfectly valid manner to raise a child?

Do you enjoy the freedom to express your views on this blog or any other pubic forum? If you do thank a vet or current service member.

I can think of plenty of people who've never worn the uniform who've done quite well to defend my right to free speech. That's for starters.

Right now, under the color of the law, we have an administration waging ceaseless war on your privacy, your right to a fair trial, your right to know what the charges are against you if you're arrested -- and all the while, our money and our talented servicepeople are dying overseas as your president continues to enforce that program.

The War on Terror has been and continues to be a war on your rights. And our servicepeople are being led to slaughter as part of that agenda. I do thank them for their service, but their talents and energies could certainly be put to better use. They're certainly not defending our freedoms in this war.

____________________________

Deliver this message to the one I love the most:
"I've lost all my money to a 300 pound ghost."
Squeaky was a sad child; the product of neglect.
Got stoned by a jellyfish demanding her respect...

redmondkr's picture

You can get into a lot of

Submitted by redmondkr on Fri, 2007/05/18 - 2:05pm.

You can get into a lot of trouble exposing your views on a pubic forum, Wayne.

Come See Us at

The Hill Online

Bbeanster's picture

When did joining the

Submitted by Bbeanster on Sat, 2007/05/19 - 11:39am.

When did joining the military become something we should talk our kids out of??

About 1968, I'd say.

In the unlikely event that my son were to announce a hankering to join up and go to Iraq, you can damnsure betcha I'd be trying to talk him out of it.

It's not that I'm a pacifist, or unpatriotic, by any reasonable standard. It's just he grew up being supported by a VA survivor's benefits check instead of a father, and I'm not willing to hand my son over to Uncle Sam in service of a cause that's built on a framework of lies.

You don't have to be a war widow to oppose our Mideast misadventure. But you would have to be as big a moron as GWB to seriously defend the conduct of this war.

MartyD's picture

Yes, Wayne, you can get into

Submitted by MartyD on Sat, 2007/05/19 - 7:06am.

Yes, Wayne, you can get into trouble for that. Dietrich Bonhoeffer got himself strung up for his views but this is not Nazi Germany is it?

bizgrrl's picture

Yeah, a lot of people were

Submitted by bizgrrl on Fri, 2007/05/18 - 3:35pm.

Yeah, a lot of people were convinced not to join the military in the 60's and 70's, GW Bush, Cheney, Romney, Brownback, Giuliani, Thompson, Edwards, Obama, Clinton, to name a few.

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