Car for Kids in Georgia

Before James arrived at Fort Worth Can! Academy’s Campus Drive campus two years ago, he had been a struggling sophomore in high school, a year and a half behind on his credits to graduate. Today, he has completed all of his credits and will graduate this year—on time. He almost didn’t make it, though. He was scheduled to take his Science TAKS re-test (he hadn’t passed it the first time), but his girlfriend went into labor the night before the test. After spending the night with her in the hospital, he had to leave for school—and his make-or-break TAKS test—at 7 a.m. Unfortunately, he missed the birth of his child by 5 minutes. But he passed the test. With his diploma in hand, we think he has a good start on making it up to his new family. His new baby daughter and her mother are doing very well. Hearty congratulations to James, and our best wishes for a wonderful future!

To start out I'll explain where I'm coming from. I was born in Arkansas on May 1992, and spent the next 9 years of my life moving from state to state and many towns in between.

 I was fairly wealthy, my father worked for Wal-Mart Distribution Centers all over America. We had vacations often and all the newest and nicest stuff you could ask for. I moved from North Carolina to Texas in 2001. Again, in Texas, I moved from town to town and finally landing in Denton county. Here I actually had a stable home for a few years until December 2004 and odd event came about. I was home alone watching my afternoon cartoons when some strange people knocked on my back door and asked for my dad. Little did I know that they were there to take him to jail. My father, unbeknown to me, was a local drug dealer. Of course I wasn't oblivious but I had no clue to the seriousness of his actions. They arrested him for possession, intent to sell, and oh yeah, having a methamphetamine lab in our garage. He went to prison, I went to live with other family for a few years.

 He got out of prison in late 2006. By that time I was living with my mom again, not in the best of conditions. This proceeded on for a while. My father got busted a few more times. So obviously this reflected at the school I attended. I went to Azle High School from 2005-2009. I was nothing but trouble. I was fighting often and in and out of A.E.P. and other in school suspension programs. I was selling drugs here and there, and doing twice as much. I saw a lot of my friends go down the same road my dad did. I saw me going gown that road. This made me reflect a lot seeing as I had been through hell compared to where I grew up. I didn't want this for my kids, or anyone else's kids for that matter. In 2009 we were evicted from our house and decided to start a new again in a different town, River Oaks.

 I was still technically a freshman so going back to school seemed out of the picture until I realized the Can Academy was only 2miles from my house. I found out I could really start over here. I began attending in late August of 2009 and now I'm only 6 days away from graduating. I was more motivated to graduate here that I was to do anything else in my life. I walked those two miles back and forth everyday, and in this term, I've finished seven classes, five of which I completed in four weeks. This school gave me an opportunity that has indefinitely decided the course of the rest of my life. I have now quit drugs, stopped smoking cigarettes, and improved many aspects of my life I can credit the school for helping me with.

 I'm not perfect, but I realize now that I can do absolutely anything I want with my life. Aiming to be president seems to small a goal to me now. And in 6 days it all begins. Thank you, Can Academy

My name is Dwayne and I've been attending Dallas Can! Academy for two years now currently enrolled as a sophomore. Education is very important to me. When I was kicked out of my home school, I didn't want to give up. I began researching other schools. While I was doing my research on what school I was going to attend, I looked on the website of Dallas Can! Academy and read some of the success stories that were presented by other students, I said to myself "I want to be part of that school". 

Dallas Can! appeared to have a strong support system that would help my educational needs. Education is important to me as well as many others, for many of us this is our first accomplishment when receiving our high school diploma. This is just one step to help us to become much closer to achieving our goals. 

My mother always told me that "a real man has standards". Most boys my age are on the streets doing stuff they not suppose to do, to me we all need to be in school so we wont end up like them and to make a name for ourselves. We shouldn't only go to school for a high school diploma and then give up. I think we should at least give college a chance, go in see what it is like. 

At home in my room, I have a list of goals hanging on the door and everyday I wake up and read it to see what steps I need to take to get closer to my goal. But first I need to graduate high school. I think it's important for all students to have a list of goals. It doesn't matter what goals you have, just don't stop chasing them. After you finish college make sure your goals are still in order for internships and various job interviews. 

Like George Washington Carver said "Education is the key to unlock the golden door of freedom". And with no education what doors can you open?

Sean Fulayter’s story is both humbling and inspiring. Sean comes to us from Michigan after overcoming unbelievable obstacles. He was born in Flint, Michigan on July 21, 1993 and is 17 years-old. Sean’s parents split before he was born and he never knew his father. He lived with his mother and grandmother for most of his childhood. At the age of six, his mother got remarried to a man in the U.S. Navy who was both mentally and physically abusive to his family. Sean’s mother suffered from mental illness and after the birth of Sean’s second sibling she also began using hard drugs to escape the abuse. At the age of 11 Sean began taking care of both siblings. One was a newborn infant and the other a toddler. He cooked meals for them and made sure they had everything they needed. Because of this responsibility, Sean missed many days of school but somehow managed to keep very good grades.

Sean moved back and forth between his mother’s house and his grandmother’s house most of his childhood because of family problems. He says, “I never really had a home to call my own.” At the age of 13 Sean was kicked out of his mother’s house and lived on the streets for 30 days. He slept near generators behind a store to keep warm during the cold Michigan winter and got food wherever he could.

Cold, hungry and weak, Sean walked into the city library and ‘Googled’ his father, whom he had never met. He found the address and walked 14 miles with two bags of his belongings to his father’s home. He lived there for a few months before living with his father became unbearable.

Sean went back to his grandmother’s house. When he was 15 his uncle invited Sean to visit him in Austin, Texas. Coming from a family with generations of gang activity, Sean wanted to make a better life for himself and his siblings, whom he dearly loved. When he learned a friend was killed by a rival gang in Flint, Sean was advised by his friends to not come back to Michigan.

Sean then moved to San Antonio to live with another uncle. “My uncle took me in as his own son and he is the only father figure I’ve ever known. He taught me how to respect women, how to protect myself and how to talk to people. He taught me everything about life”, said Sean. Living with his Uncle Steven, Sean enrolled in a Southside San Antonio public high school as a freshman and started making bad grades, skipping school and even getting involved in fights.

After his freshman year he heard about San Antonio Can! High School from a friend. His Aunt brought him to the Can! for orientation and helped pave his future. Sean was 16 when he started at the Can! as a sophomore. Since enrolling Sean attends school full-time while working two jobs; one in landscaping and one at a restaurant. He even attended summer school to gain credits faster. Sean says, “The Can! has helped me more than anything. I can’t explain how much.”

He realized his dream to join the U.S. Army when he was sworn in September 24, 2010. Sean hopes to make a career in the Army as combat medic. Sean attends a church youth group meeting every Tuesday where he says “we pray for our families and pray for forgiveness.”

Despite enormous obstacles and unconscionable circumstances Sean will graduate from San Antonio Can! High School on January 21, 2011. He hopes to soon be able to adopt his siblings and do for them what his Uncle Steve did for him. Sean thanks his Uncle Steve and Aunt Sue Ann for treating him like a son and saving his life. 

“My uncle took me in as his own son and he is the only father figure I’ve ever known. He taught me how to respect women, how to protect myself and how to talk to people. He taught me everything about life”, said Sean. Living with his Uncle Steven, Sean enrolled in a Southside San Antonio public high school as a freshman and started making bad grades, skipping school and even getting involved in fights. After his freshman year he heard about San Antonio Can! High School from a friend. His Aunt brought him to the Can! for orientation and helped pave his future. Sean was 16 when he started at the Can! as a sophomore. Since enrolling Sean attends school full-time while working two jobs; one in landscaping and one at a restaurant. He even attended summer school to gain credits faster. Sean says, “The Can! has helped me more than anything. I can’t explain how much.” He realized his dream to join the U.S. Army when he was sworn in September 24, 2010. Sean hopes to make a career in the Army as combat medic. Sean attends a church youth group meeting every Tuesday where he says “we pray for our families and pray for forgiveness. Despite enormous obstacles and unconscionable circumstances Sean will graduate from San Antonio Can! High School on January 21, 2011. He hopes to soon be able to adopt his siblings and do for them what his Uncle Steve did for him. Sean thanks his Uncle Steve and Aunt Sue Ann for treating him like a son and saving his life.

Seventeen year old Crystal knew her life was heading in the wrong direction. After realizing the combination of hanging around the wrong crowd and surrounding herself with people who were really not supportive or encouraging friends, she knew it was time to make change. Today, Crystal is more confident about what the her future holds after putting in eighteen months of hard work and dedicated studying at Houston Can! Academy Main campus, she is proud to be the first person in her family to receive their high school diploma. Crystal is quick to credit the positive and supportive experience she’s had at Can! downtown Houston campus as part of the foundation for her success. “The counselors really help the students a lot which is why we are more successful,” says Crystal. She also credits being around “new” Houston Can! friends who share a common goal. “We’re all on the same level of wanting to succeed and not lowering our standards. We all want to get to the highest point in our life, adds Crystal.” While Crystal has decided on what college she plans to attend, she is leaning towards Texas A&M because of their strong military program. As the oldest of four siblings, Crystal is quick to recognize her responsibility to encourage, inspire and be a role model for her siblings so they can succeed in reaching there dreams. “My family is so excited that I am graduating. I want to teach my siblings to be better than me, stay on the right track and go for more in life instead of settling with what you have.”