INDIANAPOLIS – One Indy teen often found himself without a place to call home, but he recently walked across the stage to accept his high school diploma.
Torrez Esco said earning his high school diploma as a homeless student was no easy task. He has had numerous jobs all while finishing his classwork.
"I had to finish my work in school and finish my work outside of school. And both of those were clashing. I was working either all night or just getting off of work to go straight to school."
Esco credits his success to Outreach – a homeless youth ministry.
A social worker referred him to the non-profit’s Goal Program that aims to help at-risk homeless students.
“Outreach helped me with advice, something to eat, shoes, or different business opportunities. Keeping me going, pushing me toward my dreams,” said Esco, who is part of the largest class of Goal Program participants to receive a high school diploma.
Esco has already continued his journey by attending IUPUI where he studies architectural design.
"I always had a dream since I was little to redo neighborhoods, neighborhoods that have a lot of poverty in them or abandoned buildings, because I see a lot of abandoned buildings around where I used to live,” he said.
Esco said the challenges he overcame were all worth it.
"When I got that diploma in my hand, it just lifted like so much off my shoulders,” he said. “It just turned a new page for me."
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