Feature
Homeless teens overcome odds to earn diplomas 6.14.11
INDIANAPOLIS STAR
The smile on Latoya Phillips' face could not have been much wider as she talked about the long path to her graduation from high school -- a path that included foster care and stints of homelessness.
"I was always told I wouldn't be able to graduate, that I wouldn't be able to make it," the Indianapolis Metropolitan charter school graduate said. "But I did it, and it felt so good to walk across that stage."
I met Phillips on Saturday as she and more than three dozen other 2011 graduates celebrated their accomplishments at a barbecue at Broad Ripple Park. Outreach Inc., a nonprofit organization that helps homeless teenagers who live in the Indianapolis area, organized the celebration as a reward for the students' hard work.
Each student in a picnic shelter at the back of the park earned a diploma thanks to a remarkable inner drive and a helping hand from Outreach and its hardworking case managers.
"You made this happen," Mayor Greg Ballard told the students after their lunch. "Nobody gets anywhere alone, and you had help. We all need help. But you made this happen."
Phillips, 19, told me about nights she spent in the cold and the many times she thought about giving up on school. But her Outreach case managers pushed and encouraged her.
"They always told me, 'You can do it, and don't believe anyone who says you can't.' That really helped," she said.
She'll attend IUPUI in the fall, with the goal of becoming a social worker so she can help young people who face struggles like those she faced.
Outreach Inc. tackles teenage homelessness in many ways. Several times a week, teens can visit its center at 2822 E. New York St. for meals, to use laundry and shower facilities, and even to play games. The group's workers also hit the streets frequently in search of young people who need basics such as food, water and clean socks. They work with schools to identify and help homeless students. Receptive teens can work with case managers who help with everything from health care and education to finding a place to live and dealing with the government.
The group's work is a reminder of the huge obstacles that face so many students and of the need to support organizations and programs, in and out of schools, that help youths overcome those obstacles. The payoff is worth it.
"I wasn't sure I could make it," Shadae Sutton, 19, told me.
She left her home during high school because of family problems and, understandably, immediate concerns began to outweigh school. But her case manager helped her deal with those issues while convincing her that a diploma would pay off.
"I learned how to overcome your problems and succeed," she said. "You just have to always have faith."
She's now an Arlington Community High School graduate and headed to Ivy Tech.
The payoff, though, isn't a benefit only to the students. I thought about that when each student was called to a stage under the shelter to receive a bag of gifts and a handshake from the mayor. Case managers read off each student's future plans.
One girl wants to be a nurse. Another hopes to work with troubled children. Others will pursue careers as varied as emergency medical technicians, chefs and corrections officers. Most intend to receive more education. One grad is joining the Army.
In other words, students who were once at the highest risk of dropping out now have worlds of opportunity. That's great for them, and for our community.
Reach Matthew Tully at (317) 444-6033 or via e-mail at matthew.tully@indystar.com.
I’m honored to serve as Mayor of our great city. Every day I work to represent all the citizens of Marion County . . .