“I was given a paper about her. Her hero was Rosa Parks, her favorite food was tacos from Dairy Queen and she loved to read. I thought this sounds like a bright little girl.”
A Texas teen who was born in jail exceeded all odds as she graduated from high school at the top of her class and will be attending Harvard University in the fall.
Castner’s mother was incarcerated at the time she gave birth and was not a part of her life since the day her father picked her up as a newborn from the jail and raised her as a single dad. Aurora Sky Castner graduated third in her high school class and has been accepted into Harvard University.Her elementary school staff introduced her to a community mentorship program where adult volunteers grab lunch with young students at least once a week and advise them on their needs, goals, fears and futures. Many of the mentor-student pairs form years-long relationships and Castner’s was no different.“I was given a paper about her.
Others in the community looked out for the teen as well — from helping her get dental care to gifting her the experience of summer camp. A Boston University professor, James Wallace, even advised Castner on her Harvard application, according to the paper.But Castner’s academic rigor was self-motivated. She grew up a strong reader at an early age and joined her high school’s Academy for Health and Science Professions, which helps prepare young minds for careers in science and mathematics.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
On the hot seat: Texas lawmakers recommend impeaching Texas Attorney General Ken PaxtonIn an unanimous decision, a Republican-led investigative committee that spent months quietly looking into Paxton recommended impeaching the state’s top lawyer.
Read more »
Dallas ISD student whose family immigrated from Cameroon going to Harvard on full-ride scholarshipWhether she's walking the halls at Hillcrest High School in Dallas, or catching up with the other athletes on the basketball court, Andrea Tchinda exudes star quality.
Read more »
Actor Tom Hanks tells Harvard grads to defend truth, resist indifferenceAcademy Award-winning actor Tom Hanks told graduates of Harvard University to be superheroes in their defense of truth and American ideals, and to resist those who twist the truth.
Read more »
Tom Hanks urges Harvard grads to defend the truth and resist indifferenceAcademy Award-winning actor Tom Hanks told graduates of Harvard University to be superheroes in their defense of truth and American ideals, and to resist those who twist the truth. Hanks told the students during the keynote address at Harvard's 372nd commencement ceremony on Thursday that they had options to either embrace liberty and freedom, or to remain indifferent. Hanks, who was awarded an honorary doctor of arts degree, poked fun at his own lack of academic credentials on a stage filled with some of the world’s brightest minds and most accomplished scientists, before fist bumping those who were graduating summa cum laude.
Read more »
Tom Hanks urges Harvard grads to defend the truth and resist indifferenceAcademy Award-winning actor Tom Hanks told graduates of Harvard University to be superheroes in their defense of truth and American ideals, and to resist those who twist the truth.
Read more »
North Texas Family That Became Viral Sensations on TikTok Share Social Media the Ups and DownsMeet Roland Pollard and his daughter Jayden. You may not recognize them just sitting in their living room, but nearly 7 million people recognize them from TikTok as the cheer-stunting father and daughter duo.
Read more »