New York City honored over 100 special high school students this weekend. Many of these students are going on to college. While this is an accomplishment worth celebrating for anyone, these students had an additional challenge. They live in a homeless shelter.
This past Thursday, New York City’s Department of Homeless Services celebrated its college-bound graduates.
Each of the students received a laptop and a bag full of school supplies.
“They’re homeless because of the economics, the gap between rents and income,” NYC Social Services Commissioner Steven Banks said.
Alexus Lawrence won a $2,000 scholarship for her good grades. She had the top grades in her class and will attend Brooklyn College in the fall.
Alexus worked hard to make her dreams come new. Being homeless couldn’t stop her.
“I’m just thinking of how far I’ve come,” Lawrence said. “You have your head down because it’s shameful, some people may bully you if they knew you lived in the shelter system.”
Lawrence isn’t the only student to deal with this problem.
“See, I didn’t believe in miracles until I got here,” said Ronaldino Crosdale.
Crosdale will go to Baruch College in the fall. He plans to launch a lifestyle brand.
Ronaldino also went to high school while living in a shelter.
“I didn’t keep it a secret I just didn’t really make it a part of me, you know?”
On an average night, over 15,000 school-aged New Yorker children sleep in a city homeless shelter. 100 of those children were honored Thursday night. Against all odds, they are college bound.
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