So it was one of the counselors
at my high school that sorta stopped me and asked me
what do I want-- things I guess I should have been
asking myself at the time, but she asked me this,
and I was like oh yeah, I want to graduate.
I was a pretty average student,
like I was fine with getting C's.
I wasn't that aware of how important my GPA was.
During my junior year of high school,
I actually failed two classes.
I was really worried about getting into college
because there aren't too many colleges
that'll accept somebody who has a low grade average.
I wish I woulda just seized every opportunity I had
and stopped blaming people
and just ran with my opportunities I had,
'cause I actually had a lotta opportunities
in high school to do something,
but I found excuses.
Once I hit my senior year, I really didn't know
how I was gonna get to college,
but I knew it was expected of me.
It really made me sad when I saw
that the four-year institutes
that I had applied to said no to me.
That's when I realized I messed up.
I wish I could go back and fix everything I messed up.
I was in high school; I was naive.
I end up stop doing so much Play Station and Xbox,
more algebra, and I got a whole lotta flack for it, a whole lot,
but you know, it ended up paying off, I would say.
My senior year I did step up my game.
I really started focusing on schoolwork, and I made sure
that I got all the credits I needed to pass high school.
I wasn't your typical high school student going like,
having family at home motivating them.
I had to, you know, motivate myself-- and I made it happen!
I graduated with honors,
and it was my proudest moment so far.
At my high school, I could take upper-level classes
that counted as college credit, and I took a few of 'em,
but I really wish that I woulda taken more.
It saves a lot of money, and it really helps a lot.
You have a lot of resources.
Check in with your counselors, check in at your schools,
go to colleges, visit them.
You'll get a lot of basic info about them, and they'll
help you choose which actual college you want.
The way I made college happen for myself was,
during high school I was accepted
into the AVID Program, which is a college prep class,
and a good friend of mine told me to go
and check out a program called The Power of You,
which helps students be able
to get two free years of college.
If college is what you see in your future,
there's always ways to get to it.
Just because your parents may not be helping you,
that does not mean it's not possible for you.
There's always ways, you just have to go and look for them
if that's what you truly want for yourself.
If I want to tell anything to younger youth,
you gotta make sure that you are ready for your future life,
and it is right there.