(June 23) -- Peers called Khadijah Williams the "Harvard girl," or "smart girl" who enrolled at their Los Angeles high school just 18 months ago, but she never told them of the struggles behind her success: She was homeless.
Williams, 18, graduated fourth in her high school class with a GPA just under 4.0. It's an amazing feat considering she spent the bulk of her life on the street. She, her mother Chantwuan Williams and younger sister Jeanine Williams have been moving in and out of homeless shelters throughout California for years, the Los Angeles Times reported. Skip over this contentHomeless 'Harvard Girl' Shines
Brian Vander Brug, Los Angeles Times
4 photos
Khadijah Williams, center, sports her cap and gown while talking with her mother Chantwaun Williams, left, and her sister Jeanine Williams, 11, at her mother's storage room in Los Angeles. Khadijah, 18, graduated fourth in her class at Jefferson High School.
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Khadijah recognized her gift for learning as early as age 9, when she placed in the 99th percentile on state exams. She was soon designated a gifted student.
Her elementary educational path became rocky shortly thereafter because of constant uprooting stemming from her mother's money woes. She failed to complete the fourth, fifth and eighth grades; skipped the sixth and split seventh between Los Angeles and San Diego. In total, she attended 12 schools over 12 years.
Khadijah's intelligence extends beyond the classroom. Her years spent surviving pimps, prostitutes and drug dealers taught her how to avoid bad habits and seek mentors, counselors and programs to help her reach her goals.
James and Patricia London became involved with Khadijah through one of those initiatives, South Central Scholars. After her mother and sister vanished from the homeless shelter where they were staying, the Londons opened their hilltop home to a lonely Khadijah for the remainder of her 12th grade year.
James, an orthopedic surgeon, and Patricia, a nurse, helped Khadijah with the essays for her college applications, according to the Los Angeles Times. They also taught her valuable life skills like money management, table manners and grooming.
Her Harvard recruiter, Julie Hilden, said she was impressed with her scholastic performance and knew she was a top candidate. The challenge for the Ivy League school is to create a support network of faculty, counselors and a host family that will all help foster her growth.
"I strongly recommended her," Hilden told the newspaper. "I told them, 'If you don't take her, you might be missing out on the next Michelle Obama. Don't make this mistake.' "
After only seeing her mother sporadically during the last six months before her high school graduation, Khadijah found her and her sister at a storage facility in South Central L.A. where they last stored their belongings.
The "Harvard girl" modeled her hunter green graduation cap and gown and practiced switching the tassel for her fractured family.
"Look at you," her mother said. "You're really going to Harvard, huh?"
"Yeah," she said, pausing. "I'm going to Harvard."
For more on this story, check out the Los Angeles Times.
Homeless To Harvard Story Inspires Worcester Tech Required fields are marked with an asterisk(*)
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Homeless To Harvard Story Inspires Worcester Tech
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Liz Murray, who was born in the Bronx, went from homeless to Harvard and inspired a movie by the same name, gave an inspirational talk to 1,400 high school students in Worcester on Thursday. Ron Sanders, who was there, says some of the students identify with Murray's story and hope to follow her example of turning hard luck into hard work and success.
"It was a horrific situation," Murray told the students as she began the narrative that captivated her audience in almost perfect silence for the better part of two hours.
The spotlight in the darkness of Worcester's Hanover Theatre was a far cry from the dim light of the Bronx apartment where Liz Murray grew up with heroin-addicted, HIV-infected parents. She became homeless at 15 when her mother died of AIDS and her father moved to a shelter. She started high school at 17, was inspired by her mentor, finished in two years and was admitted Harvard.
Her father died of AIDS in 2006...after he left her a card which she recalled for the students, "and he said Lizzy, I left my dreams behind a long time ago but I know they're safe with you now."
"It's my dream to have my own family some day," Murray later told Ron backstage.
"I've seen drugs in my family. I've seen prostitution. I've lived around it every day. I've seen transactions of drugs...every day outside my house," said Worcester Technical High School senior Raul Roman.
"The reason I'm standing here in front of you today is because I chose the higher road. I chose the higher road which is available to each of us," said Murray during the crescendo of her remarks.
"It inspires me to keep on moving forward," said Roman.
The students from Worcester Technical High School were taken to the theatre by their principal, Sheila Harrity who wanted them to have a "pep talk" two weeks before MCAS exams. Harrity, who was a Big East basketball champion from Providence College, said she and her teammates never stepped onto the court without a pep talk. Her students had screened the Lifetime movie, "Homeless to Harvard" in weeks prior to Murray's visit. "What's your dream for these students?" Ron asked Harrity. "Whatever their dream is," she said.
"Anybody's story is a human story and anybody can identify with moments where we wanted to give up. We get cynical and think, 'is life ever going to be any different?' and I'm going to stand for, 'yes it can be,'" Murray told Ron.
"I think it was very amazing and she really touched my heart," said Worcester Tech senior Samantha Gonzalez.
"June 4 of this year, I'll graduate from Harvard in psychology," Murray sighed to the theatre packed with students, emotion and applause.
I really don't know..
as an aside a colleague of mine from undergrad who had a perfect GPA was rejected from med. school three years in a row, then eventually got in at SUNY at downstate.. sometimes it is a matter of persistence and not taking NO for an answer..
Liz Murray had no money and no home address, but managed to get in.. she had no one to advocate on her behalf nor a rich uncle, so my guess is a person has to want it badly enough?
Allahu Alam sis. It's possible she fought for it or she was just lucky. That or times have changed as Yanal said.
format_quote Originally Posted by Ameena*
Harvard is actually giving free tuition/scholarships to those who come from low income families. They announced it over the weekend. So if you're just entering your senior year of high school and make less than $60,000.00 a year, you have the opportunity to enter and leave Harvard (inshaAllaah) debt-free. Contact the financial office.
Hehe I'm already out of high school sis. I'm transferrin soon inshallah either to Stonybrook or St. Johns, preferably St. Johns for Pharmacy. I'm just guessing they changed it now. Allahu Alam, thanks anyway
*Without Allah, without Islam, life would be meaningless. If I've ever learned patience, it's because of this. Alhamdulillah...*
Re: another homeless girl into Harvard, so what is your excuse?
The schools that are expensive can be only attained by Allahs will and who he gave the wealth to. We should thank Allah for what he gave to us and that will be enough. Harvard only gives one scholarship per year. I contacted them by email and they told me some interesting facts regarding wealth.
Re: another homeless girl into Harvard, so what is your excuse?
Yea but afterward you'd spend most of your time trying to pay it off. That would be rather annoying, for me at least. As for financial aid, they only give u so much.
I sound like I'm complaining now as sis Gossamer pointed out Lolll.
*Without Allah, without Islam, life would be meaningless. If I've ever learned patience, it's because of this. Alhamdulillah...*
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another homeless girl into Harvard, so what is your excuse? (OP)
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Contact the financial office.
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