Homeless youth beat the odds, graduate high school
-
A celebration was held for homeless graduates Video by ktnv.com
video
Las Vegas, NV (KTNV) - They’re a group that doesn't often receive much attention, but this weekend some of the valley's homeless youth were celebrated for a major achievement, graduation from high school.
“I always thought I was going to be one of those people that was going to be scavenging, always trying to come up from the bottom,” said LeVon Moses.
While many teenagers were doing homework or playing after-school sports, Moses was on the streets wondering where his next meal would come from, or if it would come at all.
“Not knowing where I was going to eat, where I was going to sleep, where I was going to end up next,” Moses said.
Homeless since the age of 12, Moses had given up on school, and resigning himself to a life of crime in order to survive.
“Steal food, steal clothes, do whatever,” he said. “I just always thought I was going to end up in jail, end up on that lifestyle, so I just prepared for that.”
After moving around from city to city, he ended up in Las Vegas, where he heard about Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth (NPHY), an organization offering housing and services to teens like Moses.
“I pretty much came into the program and have been here ever since,” he said.
With a roof over his head, Moses worked a part time job while studying for his GED, something he said would have never happened without the support from NPHY.
Moses said, “They've provided me with everything I needed and all the opportunities so I could become more than I was.”
Now a high school graduate at the age of 20, Moses cannot erase the struggles of his past, but having beaten the odds, this survivor is poised for a bright future.
This site uses Facebook comments to make it easier for you to contribute. If you see a comment you would like to flag for spam or abuse, click the "x" in the upper right of it. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use.