Photo: Neom | Unsplash
On his 8th grade graduation day, 14-year-old Xavier Jones discovered that his grandfather's car was not working. He was determined to receive his eighth grade diploma so he decided to walk the six-mile route to the historically Black school, Harris-Stowe State University. He walked under a fiery sun for over two hours through difficult neighborhoods and traffic. He became so thirsty at some point that he asked strangers to buy something to drink for a dollar, and times when he thought of going back. Despite all that, he pressed on. "It basically comes from who I am and the kind of person I want to be," Jones said. When he arrived at the university, Collins Smith, the university's president, was so inspired by Jones' determination and effort that she decided to award Jones a full four-year scholarship that would cover all his tuition at the university. "You know, oftentimes in colleges we spend a lot of time on standardized test scores because that's who you are. It's not true," she said. Jones has proven himself to be more than that. Although Jones still has four more years before college, he plans on maintaining his wonderful grades and keep pressing on in high school.
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