West Leyden High School

On March 17th, I spoke at West Leyden High School. I’ve wanted to speak at the school for a few years now. I once attended West Leyden as a student. After I was shot and paralyzed, my school district had me enter this school while they decided which school would be the safest for me. Before I was shot and paralyzed I was attending Argo Community High School which is located in Summit, IL. At the time, Argo had a variety of different gangs.
West Leyden High was good to me. I began to meet new friends. I truly believed at the time I was going to become a different person. I would never deny the fact that I was an active gang member, but I was trying to put it behind me. I understood that it was a temporary school. After I made new friends and felt like I fit in, I was told it was time to go to my new school. My local school board decided that Downers Grove South High School would be the best school for me to attend. I will always feel in my heart that this was a bad idea. I never felt welcomed at all. I could hear the teachers gossiping about me as I rolled through the halls. They stopped when I passed by, but I had already enough to know they were talking about me.
After a few weeks of bonding with students and making friends, I was told that my only purpose at Downers South was to receive an education. Once after school I decided to go to one of my new friend’s house after school instead of getting on the bus to go home. My family was supportive of this idea. The school was not!!! The next day when I came to school, they told me I was not allowed to stay in the community. I was told that I was to come to school on the little yellow bus, and I was to leave on the little yellow bus. When I continued to ignore their request, I was asked to not come to school and was accused of starting up a new gang. At that time, I new this school was not the school for me. I decided to drop out and lost my desire for a high school education. That was my last attempt to be a high school student.
I have been sharing my story with students for over ten years now. West Leyden High School will always be on my mind. I will always remember how West Leyden welcomed me. I will always wonder how my life would have turned out if I would stayed. I have been looking forward to coming back to this school for years. As the students entered the auditorium and looked around for a seat, it was hard for me to hold my emotions and not shed a tear. I remembered how this school once welcomed me and offered me a chance.
I put my emotions to the side and began to speak. The fifty minutes I was given felt like five. When the presentation was over and it was time for the students to leave I felt like a child after the last present was opened on Christmas morning. As I was packing my belongings a student approached me. I waited for the question I am always asked “What gang were you in???” The student surprised me. He shook my hand and said he wanted to thank me. He said that I made him cry. Then he walked away.
As I was driving home, I had a great sensation that traveled through my body. It was the satisfaction I get from my job. I once again acknowledge that this job would not have become possible if not for all those who have helped me along the way.