Student Spotlight: Mitchell’s Story

A recent high school graduate, Mitchell had hoped to be preparing for college, not worrying about where he would lay his head at night.

It was fall 2019, and after a pretty serious argument with his father, the two had reached an impasse and could not move forward while occupying the same household. Mitchell needed help and reached out to Mr. Lemanuel Williams, his band director at Lincoln High School. Coincidentally, Mr. Williams had recently met an After8toEducate team member, Billy Lane, who shared the vision of the Fannie C. Harris Youth Center to provide a spectrum of resources for DISD students experiencing housing instability. When Mitchell came to him for help, Mr. Williams called After8toEducate.

The next day Billy met Mitchell and took him to the Fannie C. Harris Youth Center. At the center, Mitchell was able to meet with Treva, a CitySquare case manager, who over time would be able to help him find solutions. After their conversation, he was able to take a shower, get a fresh set of clothes, and eat a nutritious meal. 

Mitchell was able to stay with a friend for a while and kept up with Billy and his community liaison Sheila Walker from his high school. Over the ensuing two months, he visited the drop-in center several times, working with the case managers to develop a housing plan and apply for college.

Mitchell is now realizing his dream of enrolling and pursuing a college degree.