Success Stories

DaVaun

 

 

DaVaun is just 25, but his voice carries a tone of calm reassurance one would expect from a man quite a bit older.  Maybe that’s because DaVaun, who was born and raised in Las Vegas, has a personality that’s been tempered by life experiences that might have led others down a very different path. Instead, he considers himself lucky for what he’s had -- and even luckier for where he is.

 

About 10 years ago, he was living with his grandmother, older sister and younger brother.  His father had never really been part of his life and mom was struggling with a drug addiction.  And so his grandmother assumed the parental responsibilities in the family.  An eighth grader, he was getting straight A’s, and “already I knew I wanted to go to college,” he says.  But, given his home life, college was a distant dream.  Then, through his sister’s contacts at Nevada Partners, he was put in touch with an organization called Boys Hope Girls Hope, which was just taking root in Las Vegas at the time.

 

DaVaun says, “When they told me about the program, they said there’d be lots of structure, and they would give me assistance to go to college.”  He toured the house, was interviewed and then accepted into the program.  About the same time he met a man named Richard Meyers, a St. John’s alumnus and at the time national board chairman of Boys Hope Girls Hope.  Meyers took Johnson under his wing. 

 

DaVaun ended up receiving academic and community service scholarships to St. John’s, and also received financial assistance from Meyers.  The two still keep in close touch.  DaVaun also recognized, while at college, that some of the Boys Hope counselors’ advice he had received continued to pay off.  “I saw people at St. John’s making some of the same mistakes they had warned us about…drugs, drinking, not studying.”

 

After completing his Bachelors, DaVaun continued his education earning a Masters in Business Administration in December of 2007.  Today DaVaun is living in Phoenix and working for RSM McGladrey. He is engaged to a wonderful girl and ready to start the next chapter of his life. 

 

Looking back, DaVaun says that, after he moved into the Boys Hope home, it gave his mom the drive to get her own life in order.  “She wanted to clean up her life, and be part of our lives.” She has been clean and sober for over 10 years. 

Anthony

 

 

After his parents’ divorce at the age of 3, Anthony started a new life with his mom and stepfather, but everything was far from perfect.  The family of eight moved to Las Vegas to try their luck, but due to a lack of marketable skills and his stepfather’s alcoholism his family ended up in a homeless shelter. 

Anthony describes what happened next as a “miracle, a gift from God.”  A counselor at the shelter recognized his potential and introduced him to Boys Hope Girls Hope.  Through this program Anthony was given the chance to continue his education without the worry of struggling to survive.  “Much to my surprise, this home was filled with affection and acceptance for all of our differences.”

He attended Bishop Gorman High School where he played football and participated in various after school activities.  From there he went on to St. John’s University earning a degree in psychology.  After working for two years he went back to school to continue his studies at Northwestern Health Sciences University.  He credits Boys Hope Girls Hope for helping and supporting him during his journey.