Valuable. Exquisite. Not to be treated carelessly or wasted. Precious.
When Precious was born, her mother chose her name carefully. She wanted to show her early on how special and valuable she was. Just 17 years old herself, this teenage mother was homeless and had been abused. She knew that her daughter had an uphill battle from the start. Precious would have to push hard and be courageous…and she wanted to set the tone that anything was possible.
Determined to get her family on a better path, Precious’s mother began attending school and working full time, but she needed a safe and nurturing place to send her little girl. That place was Joseph B. Whitehead Boys & Girls Club.
“People lose hope because they feel lost and alone. I want to help others find meaning and purpose.”
Ten years later, Precious has lived up to her name and surpassed her mother’s biggest expectations. Precious just graduated from high school with a Gates Millennium scholarship – offering her a full ride to the college of her choice. She remembers the day that she found out the news. “I was at the national Keystone conference with all of my friends from Boys & Girls Club. We were about to go to Disney World when I got this big package delivered to the hotel. I opened it up and almost had a heart attack….I made it in!”
Precious also remembers all the hard work and long hours that it took to get to there. “The College Bound program at my Boys & Girls was awesome! Mr. Brandon worked with me to help me understand what it takes to get into college. He kept me on track and helped me fill out scholarships. He also educated me on what to expect when I get on campus so I’m prepared to succeed.”
Precious started her first semester at the prestigious Georgetown University this July. She plans to major in English and study law. She wants to give back and spread a message of hope to those around her, “People lose hope because they feel lost and alone. I want to help others find meaning and purpose.”