Catching Up To Success

Most of his childhood days were spent playing games or spontaneously traveling. One week spent at a family member or friend's home, the next in a park, then the next a hotel. Some days were school days but most days going was not questioned. Byron Harwell was introduced to foster care as a result of his mother's actions.

After his parents divorced his father constantly moved. Although his father went from state to state he tried to send money here and there to help out Byron and his siblings. Byron's mother was the foundation of his unstable adolescence. She struggled with a nasty gambling habit and would spend whatever money she got her hands on at casinos and race tracks. With money scarce, the family heavily relied on welfare checks and any other assistance. However, that money too could and would be used for her addiction.

Starting out he did not have a stable home life. "We slept in parks, at neighbors or friends' houses, and hotels," Byron said. They even slept in the car at times when there was no money to rent a room. The family basically stayed wherever they could. They cleaned up public restrooms with rags and stayed there when they were not in someone's home. Because of the constant moving, school was not a priority.

"We'd go maybe one day, one week and then awhile without going [to school]." As a result, Byron could not read or write and had problems with math. Without steady school attendance, school was very difficult for him

"I remember one time in class my teacher asked me to read out loud and I was trying to sound words out. I was embarrassed. Kids laughed at me. I would go home and cry." Although he noticed he could not read like the other kids and was behind, he did not understand consistent school attendance was a key to being successful in school. No one made this clear to him and his confidence suffered.

"The changing point for me was when we were staying at a hotel and my mom told us the police are going to come for us and to stay quiet. She faked an injury in the hotel elevator and the hotel paid for housing and food. I was like wait, what's going on? She's doing wrong."

Most his days were mainly spent playing video games. That was until she left him and Brent with their older brother Joe. "She said she couldn’t take care of us and we were going to stay there [with him]." Joe took Byron and Brent in trying to help out. He gave the boys a place to stay until their mother got on her feet. It was hard. Joe had a family of his own and eventually could no longer balance supporting and taking care of his family and his siblings. He did not agree with what their mother was doing and sought help. He wanted his younger brothers to have a better life. Joe took Byron and Brent to the police and from there they were placed in foster care.

REACHING SUCCESS

Byron thanks his foster mother for being someone who gave him stability. "I was in foster care from 6th to 8th grade and finally in school." Not only did his foster mother make him attend school, but she also showed him love and support. Transitioning from unstable school attendance to steadily attending was going to be difficult for Byron. He had to play catch up, but he never gave up. "We [Byron and Brent] had to work ten times harder as the kid next to us." He worked hard and was sure to talk to counselors and teachers at school.

Things began to look up. After two years in foster care, Joe gained legal guardianship over both Byron and Brent once he moved into a larger home. He wanted the boys back with family. As they prepared and were going into high school, they still struggled in school and in the household. Joe continuously motivated his younger brothers.  "He was a great influence. He was always saying we gotta focus on school." That was exactly what Byron did and when the idea of college was brought up, he worked even harder. Byron had another brother who attended UCLA and played football. He showed Bryon what college life was by taking him and Brent to classes and around campus. That really put college in Byron’s mind. "I didn't know how I would get there, but I wanted to go."

Throughout high school he continued working hard to catch up, but with motivation from Joe and the help of school counselors Byron was able to pull through. Guidance counselors at school talked to him about college and discussed what it would take to get there. They told Byron about California State University, Fresno (Fresno State) and the Renaissance Scholars Program (RSP). The RSP is under the Equal Opportunity Program EOP) at Fresno State. RSP is a "support program for college-bound individuals," namely former and current foster youth. The program offers services ranging from housing help and financial needs, to building community connections and getting students internships. This program was designed to help students just like him. Counselors helped Byron apply to schools and scholarships and he graduated high school with a 3.0 GPA. Although he would not be going to UCLA like his older brother, he was off to Fresno State with Brent. "It was a real blessing to go to Fresno State."