“The odds were against me from the start, but I was determined that with my grit and grind, I could overcome any obstacle along the way. I kept telling myself, ‘My story will shine like glitter one day so I’ve got to keep going.’ In South Memphis where I’m from (zip code 38126), survival and success rates for young people are low, but those statistics didn’t sound like facts to me. I took them as a challenge. I stayed out of the streets and kept busy with the Boys and Girls Club, Streets Ministries, flag team, volleyball team, the MIFA COOL program, and numerous leadership positions. I knew I had to keep going. I couldn’t let my childhood repeat itself, so I held myself accountable for my actions and my future. In May of 2012, I graduated from Booker T. Washington High School.
“After graduation, I applied to over 25 colleges, got accepted to every one of them, and just over half offered me scholarships. During my freshman year at UT Martin, my mom lost her job and my dad passed away, so all of my financial support was gone. My mom couldn’t afford to send me to college, she couldn’t afford any dorm supplies, school supplies, or transportation for me to go up the highway, but I still had the mind to go. Donations came pouring in from the community and my church family, and God worked everything out. I'm really not sure how I did it, but I did. I’m 21 years old and a first generation college graduate! Despite the odds and the struggles, I managed to keep my head in the books, made Dean's List every semester, completed my degree in three years, and graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science in Social Work in December 2015.
“I’m working full-time with troubled youth now, getting established in a career, looking for an affordable apartment and a car, and thinking about pursuing more education. I want to use my degree to help individuals see their full potential the way I did. Hardship is all I know, so I’m ready for that challenge. I'm pretty sure I'll find the strength to keep going!”
“After graduation, I applied to over 25 colleges, got accepted to every one of them, and just over half offered me scholarships. During my freshman year at UT Martin, my mom lost her job and my dad passed away, so all of my financial support was gone. My mom couldn’t afford to send me to college, she couldn’t afford any dorm supplies, school supplies, or transportation for me to go up the highway, but I still had the mind to go. Donations came pouring in from the community and my church family, and God worked everything out. I'm really not sure how I did it, but I did. I’m 21 years old and a first generation college graduate! Despite the odds and the struggles, I managed to keep my head in the books, made Dean's List every semester, completed my degree in three years, and graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science in Social Work in December 2015.
“I’m working full-time with troubled youth now, getting established in a career, looking for an affordable apartment and a car, and thinking about pursuing more education. I want to use my degree to help individuals see their full potential the way I did. Hardship is all I know, so I’m ready for that challenge. I'm pretty sure I'll find the strength to keep going!”
PaTreka Wells works full-time with a local organization dedicated to providing services to emotionally and behaviorally troubled children and their families.
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