Mar 16, 2009 6:17 pm US/Pacific
D.J. Williams: Growing Up In A School
Christina Fung
EAST PALO ALTO (CBS 5) ―
Dwayne "DJ" Williams never had it easy, but when he turned 16-years-old, he found out just how hard life can be.
"The day [after] I turned 16, I came home and I noticed bags outside. I knocked on my door and I finally came in. As I came in [my mom] started yelling at me… and my brother and sister were crying… and [my mom] pushed me out the door," he said. "After that, I stayed outside and knocked on the door and asked to her to let me back in. She would not and she just sat there and kept yelling at me to go away."
This wasn't the first time his mother had thrown out one of her children. DJ's sister had been kicked out before but had been allowed to return. This time, however, would be different. DJ would have to go on alone with no financial or emotional support from his family.
As early as DJ can remember, he and his siblings never lived in one home for an extended period of time. For years, they moved around and lived in several different cities around the Bay Area as their mother struggled with alcoholism.
When DJ was in fifth grade, he and his siblings were sent to live with their aunt when their mother was unable to care for them. That's where he first learned about a special after-school program called "Shoot for the Stars" at East Palo Alto Elementary School that combined basketball and daily tutoring.
Everyday, he would ride the bus for almost an hour to play basketball and get help on his homework. Chris Bischof, founder of the program, was amazed by his dedication and positive attitude.
"DJ remained resilient and never complained about his situation," said Bischof.
But that stability and support that DJ had temporarily found would quickly dissolve. During his middle school years, DJ and his siblings went back into the care of their mother who continued to move them to different homes around the Bay Area.
By the time DJ reached high school his mother settled down near Mountain View. By then, Bishoff's small after-school program had evolved into Eastside College Preparatory School, a private school in East Palo Alto dedicated to kids like DJ.
Determined to do well in school, DJ would ride the bus from Mountain View every day to Eastside. He made sure to finish his homework at school because life at home was too chaotic.
By sophomore year, DJ's mother had become even more unstable and he would face the hardest challenge of his life yet—leaving home.
"At that moment I didn't know what to do exactly, I knew I had to keep up my schoolwork because then one day I could come back and help [my brother and sister] in some other way," he said.
A classmate took DJ in for the remainder of the school year and he was able to finish with nearly all A's and B's on his report card.
"[DJ] is one of the most resilient people I've ever met regardless of whatever life seems to throw at him," said Helen Kim, Assistant Principal at Eastside College Preparatory School. "He's still that optimistic person who still wants to learn [and] be totally prepared for college…[He] sees the future."
The following year he moved into the school's dormitory and became one of the first students to participate in the school's brand new boarding school program.
"I really like living at the boarding school…because I see Eastside as my family, the boarding school just made it a little more official," he said. "It's a good experience. I don't have to worry about too much moving… but being at Eastside it's a more stable place [and] I know where I live."
In addition to his schoolwork, DJ is the captain of the varsity basketball team and is seen as a "big brother" role model-figure on the school campus.
"Being a role model keeps me on my game… it makes me keep going and keeps me doing my best because I know that people are watching, and even before then I was doing my best. By showing that example everybody else will be trying to do the same thing."
DJ also understands the importance of community outreach. For the last two years he has volunteered several hours to the Ecumenical Hunger Program where he helps distribute food and clothing to needy families in East Palo Alto. Last summer, he was an honorary participant at the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) where he learned important leadership and teamwork skills.
DJ is now in his third year of high school and has a cumulative GPA of 3.08. He's taking a rigorous academic load and is working diligently as he prepares to achieve his dream of being the first member in his family to attend college.
"I think DJ can pretty much do anything," said Kim. "He has absolutely mastered the skills that he needs to be academically successful in college. …I think it [will] be an amazing time for him. People can't help but be drawn to him… he's so personable and I just think that when he goes off to college he's going to have an amazing time."
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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