A younger girl from Montgomery County in Texas not too long ago graduated from Conroe Excessive Faculty third in her class and is now making ready to matriculate to Harvard College within the fall.
18-year-old Sky Castner got here from tough, humbling beginnings and rose to the highest with assist from her neighborhood to the purpose the place she obtained help from a Boston College professor to put in writing a stellar school utility to the Ivy League college she’s quickly to attend.
The primary line in her Harvard College utility says ‘I used to be born in jail.’
“He helped me to inform my story in one of the best ways potential,” she mentioned, referring to the professor who helped her write her school utility.
Castner, who had initially informed her story to the Houston Chronicle, was born in Galveston County Jail — her mom was imprisoned on the time. Her father would finally choose her up from the county jail and lift her as a single dad.
However these figures weren’t the one essential position fashions that Castner had guiding her alongside the way in which. She additionally had assist from her mentor, Mona Hamby, who is totally unrelated to Harvard or her highschool and really met the graduate in elementary college.
The 2 met at Reaves Elementary Faculty when the workers thought that the younger woman can be an ideal match for CISD’s Challenge Mentor program, meant to point out children in want a little bit extra love.
“I used to be given a paper about her. Her hero was Rosa Parks, her favourite meals was tacos from Dairy Queen and she or he cherished to learn. I assumed this appears like a shiny little woman,” Hamby informed the Houston Chronicle. “I nonetheless have that paper at the moment.”
“She informed me: ‘I have been to jail.’ I mentioned: ‘No, that may’t be proper,’” the mentor continued. “I knew that I can’t simply go eat lunch with this child as soon as every week, she wanted extra.”
Hamby posts about Castner commonly on her Instagram and gushes about all the accolades she has been in a position to obtain, together with her acceptance into Harvard College.
Mona Hamby claims that Sky Castner had set her purpose for Harvard since elementary college.
In an Instagram publish made on April 29, 2023, Hamby wrote “Lady set a purpose to go to Harvard in elementary college regardless of being born in poverty. Obtained full scholarship to attend Harvard in 2023.”
However this wasn’t the one publish she made about her successes. She additionally has a publish for the time Castner completed paying off her automotive, in addition to for when she obtained an award for being fifth in her class — “What’s subsequent for this woman?” Clearly, a full scholarship to Harvard College, and she or he was even there for her tour of the campus.
“After that journey, I noticed her love for the college intensify,” Hamby mentioned.
Regardless of her tough upbringing, Castner nonetheless claims to have seen worth in her life earlier than Mona was part of it — simply as a lot as after they met.
“It was a really totally different atmosphere than I grew up in and that’s not a nasty factor,” the 2023 graduate informed the Chronicle. “The whole lot that Mona taught me was very priceless in the identical approach that all the pieces that I went via earlier than Mona was very priceless.”
In a Harvard Class of 2027 publish on Instagram, Castner claims that she’s interested by finding out psychology, and philosophy, and is planning to pursue a profession in legislation.
“I’m past excited to be attending Harvard School within the fall,” the teenager wrote. “… I can not wait to satisfy my fellow classmates so don’t be afraid to achieve out!”
Isaac Serna-Diez is an Assistant Editor who focuses on leisure and information, social justice, and politics.
Originally posted 2023-05-26 22:15:04.