You can do it!

From a teenage school boy to a young man I can remember when I graduated from Thurgood Marshall Middle School in the top 5%, I was very happy, but sad at the same time. Sad to say goodbye to my friends, and was ready to start high school.

Over the summer, there was a transitional program at Mays for freshman. The transitional program is designed to help new students to get a feel of how much classwork was assigned. When I came to the program, I was painfully shy, until, I met a few friends.

About a few weeks before, I had to learn several things at one time. For example, how to use the Metro Atlanta Rapid Transit System (MARTA) to get from one side of town to the other. Next, I had to adjust by getting up at 6 a.m. and be at school by 8:45 a.m..

All of the objectives I had to accomplish, I had to do for four, long and excruciating years. When I entered the doors of Mays, I was nervous, and scared. People thought that I was crazy because some thought that I was a killer, and others assumed that I was retarded. I knew that none of this stuff was true.

I remember one day in class, I had to read, and I read, I was the center of everyone's joke. People laughed at the way I talked, and I was upset for the rest of the day. Eventually, some people got a chance to get to know me as a person. Unfortunately, I was kicked out of the magnet program because I failed geometry.

When I got my report card in the mail, I thought that my mom would be very upset. Surprisingly, my mom was very supportive, and decided to let me take regular classes. From that day forward, I excelled in all of my classes. My sophmore year was a breeze because my grades were on par with my mom's standards.

I remember one day, I saw one of my former teachers from elementary school. I screamed "Ms. Barnett!", and she ran to me and gave me a hug, and her son Brandon, was like, "Who is this?" Later on that afternoon, Brandon got a chance to know one of his graduating classmates.

Also during this time, the current principal, Mr. Ron Brown was retiring. The news was a shock to staff, students, and especially to my homeroom teacher and graduate from Mays, Mr. John Chandler. At the end of the school year, there was more to come....Change....that's right, change!

More students, faculty, teachers, and a new principal. All of the changes that were being made did not fit well with the current student population. As a junior, there were fights, and threats, and it all boiled down to the point where everyone could get along.

Then, came the Georgia High School Graduation Test (GGT). Don't worry, you're not the only one with the graduation test blues. One day, all juniors had to go the cafeteria to get their scores back.

People were cheering, crying in agony, and I was nervous. My heart was beating so fast, I thought that I had an heart attack. Finally, when I got my scores back.... I passed!! I passed, thank goodness!!!! That day, I realized that I was on my way out of Mays.

My final year at Mays as a Senior was about privileges. I could do things, that I dreamed about when I was a freshman. My classes were easy, and I started to send off college applications, and scholarships. One day, my mentor, Mr. Mario Wakins, asked "Have you send out any applications?" I said, "No". Mr. Watkins was very upset, and started to talk to me about the possibility of getting upset at the end because I can't go to college.

Since that day, I was on it 24/7, driving my counselor(s) crazy because I'm trying to get in school without paying.

At the end of April of this year, my grandmother was in the hospital with a slight case of pneumonia. I began to pray that she'll make it, and before I went to the hospital with my mom, the phone rang. My mom answered, and she talked to the lady about me, being a recipient for a scholarship award. I won the Halpern Enterprises Award for $2500! I could not wait to tell my friends, mentors, everyone. Even Mrs. Elizabeth Murray, the lead counselor at my school was proud.

I was driven from that point on realizing that I grabbed a portion that could pay off for my future. Finally, Senior final exams, and I was finished with school. On senior awards day, when Ms. Chisholm called my name for the Halpern Enterprises Award, I knew that my friends were behind me 100%.

I would like to thank one friend in particular, Paul Sparks. Paul has supported me for the past few years, and thanks for helping me shape out my future. Good luck in the future, Paul! Also, I would like to thank the class of 2004, and all of my teachers, my family, and my mom. If I could have one wish, it would to be at Mays for one more time. I would not change anything, and I would enjoy every minute of it!

Now, I look up and realize that it's over, but, a new chapter has begun for me. On May 27, 2004, I will graduate from Benjamin Elijah Mays High School at the Atlanta Civic Center at 8:30 p.m.. If I could give one person my heart, my mom is that person. My mom has made sure that I needed to know everything there is. She has went to extreme limits to provide for myself, my brother and sister. She has two places in my heart.

Thank you, for helping me to get this far in life, despite of bumps in the road. You have shaped me to an adult, a bright young man, who's eager to learn, and very humble.

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