“Defend the rights of the poor and the orphans." ~ Psalm 82:3
When the Jones children lost their mother a few years ago,
a disabled grandfather began raising the seven kids. They lived in what the
government called a “high-poverty environment.”
Studies show that students in these schools do worse on
standardized tests, are more likely to be chronically absent, and are less
likely to graduate on time… if at all.
Yeatman-Liddell Middle School in St. Louis consistently
ranks among the lowest-performing middle schools in Missouri. The school
enrolls 99% impoverished kids like eighth grader, Xavier Jones. Only 1% of his
peers scored at or above proficiency levels for reading. Math scores were even
worse.
Xavier was an
exception. Graduating with a 4.0 GPA, he couldn’t wait to accept his eighth-grade
diploma in a ceremony held at the historically black Harris-Stowe State
University in May 2023.
One hurdle remained.
Xavier’s only means of transportation, his grandfather's car, wasn't working.
So, despite his sickle
cell anemia, he started walking the 6.5-mile route, winding through tough
neighborhoods and busy traffic. At one
point, Xavier (14) considered turning around and telling the school to mail his
certificate. But the honor of walking across the stage and receiving it
personally after years of hard work was worth the trek.
The University’s President, Dr. LaTonia Collins Smith, was
so impressed by Xavier’s grit and determination that she decided to take a few
steps of her own. She awarded Xavier with a “full-ride scholarship, on the
spot, that will cover four years of tuition, books, and fees (a future value of
nearly $70,000), not including books.
“We at HSSU prefer to find students like Jones, who
are better measured by how far they've come. Xavier is exactly that kind of
person.”
“Our students have typically had
to overcome overwhelming obstacles,” she added. “This young man has the tenacity
and perseverance that many adults are missing. He’s an inspiration. His story
will encourage others to keep pushing forward and crush the odds stacked
against them.”
After his story started circulating, the middle school grad
was also surprised with two new forms of transportation. Miami Dolphins star
Terron Armstead and several teammates presented Xavier with a new $5,000 electric
bike and his family a $40,000 minivan.
Jones still has four years of high school to process that HSSU
scholarship offer. Until then, he plans to keep up his already excellent grades
and keep stoking that fire in his belly. And he offers two pieces of advice for
his classmates: “Stay in school… do your best!
Father God, thank You not only for Your
countless blessings but for the challenges that draw us nearer to You. Thank
You for the difficult moments when You gave us the strength to push forward
with confidence in Your love and shelter. Amen
