Akeem Mustapha encountered many challenges during his high school days. He had cultural barriers that made it hard to connect and make new friends. He had to over come challenges of wanting to play soccer, but not being able to afford it. Akeem worked hard in school and in soccer to stay on track. His mom encouraged and supported him and helped him achieve his goals. Akeem is currently enrolled at Point Park University where he runs track. Congratulations and good luck, Akeem!
Brogan had struggles getting motivated to work hard and care about school and his grades. His teachers supported him and pushed him to turn his schooling around. He dual enrolled in HACC where he earned credits that would transfer to Penn Tech where he could continue his dream of pursuing an education in cyber security. He’s proud of himself for beating the odds and taking the steps towards his future goals.
Jorge faced adversity in academics and social settings that affected some academic progress and attendance issues. He made friends through the band program that helped him tremendously to overcome the challenges he was facing. Jorge was a leader and always willing to help out and set a good example for other students. He is pursuing a degree in psychology at Shippensburg University.
Travis’s mother is legally blind and he is one of six children in his family. Travis had to take an adult role on at home. He never considered going to college as he felt he lost part of his childhood due to his home responsibilities. Travis also lost his best friend to suicide. Travis became very depressed and rarely left his bed. His cross country coach and the entire high school staff were very concerned for Travis. He slowly started returning to cross country practices and gained a renewed focus. He improved his grades and became part of his high school community. He finished high school as a three sport athlete, captain of the cross country team and vice-president of his class. Travis plans to attend college to receive a bachelor’s degree in health/physical education and run cross country.
Kelsey faced many family challenges at home that could have kept her from graduation, but she stayed focused on graduating and furthering her education. She was part of the National Honors Society, softball team, band and choir and was in archery and conversation club. Ken says of her, Kalsey is a shining example of resilience, hard work and determination. She plans on going to University of Pennsylvania to study special education and early childhood education.
Mariana has faced numerous challenges in her life,. She was adopted at a young age and struggled with substance abuse early in her teenage years. In 9th grade, she was caught with alcohol in school and was placed in our Alternative Education program. That consequence provided her with a new perspective on what school is and should be along with a newfound faculty relationship that helped her to shift her focus to her own success. The teacher of that program challenged her on a daily basis to choose better and to choose her pathway in a way that no one else could. She has shown incredible resilience, determination, and strength in overcoming these obstacles and turning her life around. Mariana plans to attend a four year college to major in sports/entertainment marketing. She has been accepted to Indiana University of PA and Wilson College.
Ne’Veah struggled with her home life, confidence and held a lot of guilt as a child. She decided she had to learn to love herself before allowing anyone else into her personal space. She started to find joy in her friendships and excelled in academics. Ne’Veah is a sweet and personable young lady that has overcome more at her age than most adults. She is pursuing a major in forensic psychology with a goal of working for the FBI.
While in 9th grade, Ocean was a huge disciplinary problem. He struggled with maturity, poor self-image, and negative attention seeking behaviors. He didn’t seem to care about the consequences and school didn’t matter to him. He took one of Mrs. McPoyle’s art classes and asked for feedback. He slowly improved his behavior and by senior year became friends with someone who introduced him to weigh lifting. He started working out daily and the discipline changed his whole life. He improved his grades and started to set goals for himself. He is graduating and plans to attend a two or four year college for business and open a tattoo parlor.
Rania has faced several cultural, social, academic, and economic challenges during high school. As an Egyptian student in a relatively affluent community, Rania entered high school with limited English proficiency, a minimal number of close friendships, difficulty in classes due to her English proficiency, and financial challenges at home. She also faced overt islamophobia from students when she chose to start wearing a hijab to school. She worked hard and is exiting high school fluent in English. She has many close friendships and the best grades of her high school career. She was accepted into several major universities and plans to pursue her bachelor’s degree and a career in the medical field.
Rayshawn was adopted at age 5.5 after his biological mother walked out on him. He struggled with the separation of his adoptive parents and the death of two immediate family members. Rayshawn struggled with mental health in his early teen years, but then became involved in athletics. Through wrestling and soccer he has thrived. He became a leader and team captain and is recognized as one of the best soccer players in the area. Ryshawn has also been recognized as employee of the month several times at Jersey Mike’s and even has a TikTok video a customer created about his excellent customer service skills. Rayshawn plans to attend Millersville in the fall to play soccer and major in business administration or trade school.
Rian is a student with autism who did not receive a diagnosis or services at his previous schools. He was at the end of his sophomore year when he was diagnosed. Rian worked hard to be successful during the years prior to his diagnosis, but without the proper supports, it was very hard for him to succeed. Autism affected his executive functioning skills, making it very difficult for him to initiate tasks, prioritize work, and stay organized. It also affected his ability to communicate socially and make friends. Once Rian had a diagnosis, he began working on his areas of weakness. He became a shining star his senior year and applied himself and master his academic life. He finished his senior year with distinguished honors and has been accepted to college. He plans on working in the field of art or graphic design and attending a four year college or university.
MJS ACHIEVEMENT FOUNDATION
The MJS Achievement Foundation’s mission is to provide economic assistance to high school students who are attempting to become productive, self-sufficient members of society.