(talking indistinctly) SHAKEER FRANKLIN: In these communities, bullets rain down from the sky, knocking down the crowns of Black men and women, and bringing their reigns to an end until some of us decided that we were tired of the strife.

A change there must be.

And now, you see the metamorphosis we've gone through, the butterflies we've become.

So, don't be shy, Baltimore.

Raise your arms and show the world the change we've made.

From selfish caterpillars to selfless butterflies.

Thank you.

My name is Shakeer Franklin, I'm 18 years old, and I'm currently attending YO Baltimore Academy, the Youth Opportunities Academy.

YO Baltimore, it's a school-- something like...

It's kind of like an alternative school.

WOMAN: Now we're gonna do the scholar of the year, and is absolutely amazing, and he doesn't know that he's getting this, but he actually won scholar of the year.

Shakeer Franklin.

(crowd cheering and applauding) - Oh, my God!

Oh, my God, I'm crying!

I would like to change a lot of things, like the way that African American males are treated.

Also, the way everybody is treated, because in my eyes, everybody should be equal.

(audience applauds) This is, like, that year, like, that really important year that decides, for the most part, what my life is gonna be.

(chuckling) Because, you know, like, we get our composite scores and our high school choice.

The high school I got accepted into is Bard, and I'm really excited, because it's a college prep school, and it's just, like, for me, it's one step closer to getting what I want to be, a public defense attorney.

Eighth grade, and middle school as a whole, has been very defining in my life, simply because, um... For the most part, I feel like, for me, it has decided what type of individual I'm going to be throughout my life.

I love challenges, and going to Bard, every day you walk in the doors, you know you're gonna be faced with a new challenge.

I don't believe I control my own destiny, but I'm definitely, uh, the biggest influence in my own destiny.

* I thought I was going to get my G.E.D., and, uh, after going through the process of going to YO Baltimore, speaking, they were, like, "Well, we don't do the G.E.D.

option anymore.

"We do do credit recovery.

"You come in and see, uh, how many credits you have to get, and you can, we can go from there."

So I came in for my interview.

I actually, surprisingly, I was so shocked.

I actually only have to make up about, like, eight credits.

This year, I'm taking, uh...

I take physics.

I take, I have my math class.

I have English II and I have two Apex classes: I have a biology Apex class and another English class, and I'm actually doing pretty good this year.

I, uh...

I got, I have As and Bs this year.

(chuckling): And I'm really, really hyped about that.

I think it's, like, seeing a lot of my friends get, like, acceptance letters, be, like, "Oh, crap, I want some, too."

(chuckling): So, getting into that, trying to get back into that, and I'm looking at colleges and everything, so that I can have that next stop, and just telling myself, like, kind of like a mantra, just telling myself, "You gotta do it, you gotta do it, you gotta do it."

Telling myself and really speaking with myself, and be, like, "Yo, just do it, man.

Just do it."

* PRINCAYA: I promised myself, me, Princaya Sanders, I promised myself that education is first.

Always going to be first.

My mom, she drove it in my head to get good grades, 'cause good grades is the only thing that's really gonna take you somewhere.

When I opened up my letter, I found that I got into Western, which was my first choice.

I actually really miss the social interaction of school, because I feel like I personally learn better with a teacher in front of my face instead of through a screen, so I don't really enjoy learning virtually, but I'm gonna just have to learn to roll with the punches, because there's nothing that you can do.

My name is Princaya Sanders.

I'm 18 years old, and I go to Western High School as a senior.

Okay, so, the classes I take is A.P.

literature, pre-calc, African American studies, um, foundations of computer science, and medical innovations and biomedical interventions.

Oh, I changed my mind about anesthesiology.

It's more my second choice now.

I want to be a professor of psychology.

People of color, they don't wanna go to a, a Caucasian therapist, because they...

It's not gonna click as much as a person of color who's a therapist.

So, what better for me to do than put myself in that person of color therapist position?

Yeah.

Colleges I've applied to and been accepted to is Stevenson University, Bowie University, U.M.E.S.-- um, University of Maryland Eastern Shore-- Coppin University, and Salisbury University.

I feel like I would be more comfortable at a HBCU, 'cause I, I relate more with people that relate to me.

As to a PWI, PWIs do give more money, I will say that, but on the other hand, HBCUs, they give you that familiarity that you can't get at a PWI.

To be completely honest, I don't know how much I could pay myself unless I was a, unless I was a R.A. or something like that.

So, probably full, full help, mm-hmm.

'Cause I only have, like, one parent, and, yeah.

Just one parent.

So not too much can go to a college.

So, I think I would need full support.

Yeah.

What motivated me the most, 'cause I don't have any real role models, so I am my own role model.

So what motivates me to do stuff is me.

I want the betterment for myself, and my dream...

I don't have this big dream of fancy houses and all this.

I have a dream of just financial stability.

That sounds so nice to have.

Whatever can get me to financial stability, I will do.

I have my eye on my goal, and it's there, like, that's my goal.

There's no little obstacles.

It's just that, like, say there's a door right there, and it's almost open.

All you gotta do is pull it open.

That's where I'm at right now.

* TYLER: I got taken away from my mother, and once I got taken away from my mother, it was kinda hard to find, like, where I could fit in at.

I just plan on staying on track, keeping what I'm doing right now, 'cause my progress has tremendously skyrocket out of this roof.

Me staying in school's gonna help me basically get beyond West Baltimore.

It's gonna help me, hmm, do my dreams.

And I think my personality, you know, still the same, but me, physically, like, I think I've changed.

You know, and mentally.

I got stronger and wiser.

So that's how I think I've changed.

I just feel like, like...

If I have enough confidence in myself, I could do anything, so I don't try to limit myself.

My name is Tyler Mackenzie, I'm 18 years old, I'm in the 12th grade, and I attend Green Street Academy.

No, it's not really stressful.

It's annoying, 'cause everybody say the same thing, and, like, I don't know.

It's, like, no breaks, like, at all.

Like, and being as what I play basketball, it's really no breaks.

So, like, I gotta, I, I have to apply to colleges and then go to practice.

You know what I'm saying?

So I gotta focus on multiple things at once.

I didn't know I was the team captain until, like, the first week of practice, so, yeah.

I definitely gotta take basketball seriously.

So, yeah, so... Basketball is something that helped me throughout my life.

You know, like, it's something that took me out of struggle.

It's something that I feel like I can really make it.

'Cause if I go to college and don't get a basketball scholarship, I'll probably do a walk-on.

I just started this week, because I couldn't do it earlier, 'cause I just had a lot of stuff to do in school.

So I started doing it this week.

Well, I started applying this week to some schools.

Uh, Loyola, Kentucky, West Virginia University.

Um, what else was on that list?

Uh, U.M., U.M.E.S., UMBC, and that's it for right now.

I want to, I'm gonna apply to Kansas very soon.

I'm gonna apply to Kansas soon.

I want to say that's it.

Oh, no, and Ohio State, that's the last one, like...

It's either I will major in journalism or sports medicine, because being as what I already know a bunch about medicine right now, and sports, if you combine the two, it's just easy for me.

So, it would be between sports medicine and journalism, but I'm leaning more on the journalism side.

I definitely believe that I'm not gonna get as many opportunities as the person next to me based off my skin color, but that's not gonna stop me from trying to get that opportunity.

So, I necessarily don't really care about racial bias, or what somebody thinks because I'm Black, or because I'm light-skinned, or what.

I, I don't really care about it.

As long as, as long as I try, then, even if I fail, I know I put my best foot forward and that's the mindset I go with every day.

Like, my coach tell me every day, heart, dedication, and desire, and those are the three things I live by.

So, as long as I know that I tried, then I know I put my best foot forward.

* COURTNEY: My name is Courtney Jacobs III.

I'm 12 years old and I like basketball, I want to become a surgeon, and I want to go to college.

I'm very determined.

I don't like to give up at all, 'cause make me feel like a loser.

(laughs) I want to be a winner, so, uh, I don't give up.

I think that I control my destiny.

When something isn't going the way that I would choose it, I would try to figure out a way to change that.

My one wish would definitely be... To get out of the city.

I've been thinking a lot about college.

Not actually sure about which college I would like to attend yet, but I have been thinking a lot about it, and the different, um, choices I can make, and the different places I could go.

I actually did not understand the impact that the pandemic would have on me and my family.

Kinda came out of nowhere, you know.

So online schooling was pretty challenging.

Yeah, I'm not gonna lie.

A few times, it was some, it was some points when, like, I kinda was, like, out of it, like, I didn't really want to go through with it anymore.

* My name is Courtney Jacobs III, I'm 18, I attend Aberdeen High School, and I'm in my last year of high school.

Being a senior is definitely something that I've been looking forward to.

It's crazy, you, you know.

It's, it's cool, though.

It's kinda like everybody's looking up to you, but you still, you're still trying to find yourself, as well, you know?

So, it's like a little balance you have to, you have to find for yourself.

So, my senior year, I'm taking advanced health, um, honors trigonometry.

I'm taking Spanish II and English 21st century.

When I was doing track in my ninth and tenth grade year, my ninth-grade year, I did track and field outdoor, and I was doing long jump.

I had the furthest long jump as a freshman in the city.

I'm definitely trying to break some records at my new school.

Making a decision for college, that's definitely probably my main issue right now.

It's, it's a good problem to have, but, you know, it's, it's definitely... College applications is definitely a stressful process, but, you know, we get through it.

Leaving home is definitely a big leap for me, um...

I'm very family-oriented, but leaving where I grew up is definitely... Definitely something that's gonna be a little hard for me, but, you know, life goes on.

So, my top three schools right now, for college, would be Howard University, Morehouse College, and University of Miami.

As far as in-state goes, I have Morgan State University, UMBC, and Towson University.

I'm at, I think I'm going for Howard right now.

Howard or Miami, for sure.

I say a mixture of excitement and optimism.

I'm being optimistic, for sure.

I look forward to, um, just growing as a person, and meeting new people, doing new things, being in different places, and, you know, taking what I can from those places.

(chuckling): I'm definitely ready for college.

I'm definitely ready to, you know, get out of high school, you know, being on my own time.

But, uh, yeah, for sure.

* DAVIOIN: I'm Davioin Hill, I'm 12 years old, and I'm in the seventh grade.

I believe the world doesn't determine what you have to do, it... You determine what you want to do, so, like, if you want to get into a good college, you're gonna have to work really hard for that.

I like to solve problems.

When it's difficult, it can get frustrating, but then when I figure it out, I be, like, "Whoo!"

I'm the kind of person that people underestimate, because I am too quiet, but when I start proving them wrong and showing them my actual math skills, they're, like, "Dang."

I'm going to Poly.

So I feel like all my hard work paid off.

I definitely worked hard for this.

I got into Poly.

(audience cheers and applauds) The new Davioin is a more energetic and open-minded person, more proactive, more positive, willing to take on a challenge.

I'm not the underestimated kid anymore.

I'm only a freshman and they're already prepping me for college.

My name is Davioin Hill, I'm 17, I go to Baltimore Polytechnic Institute, and I'm a senior.

It's stressful.

Senior year's very stressful because I gotta worry about college.

So, I'm taking A.P.

calculus, A.P.

computer science, honors chemistry, mechanics, matter energy, um, engineering practicum, and English.

I'm, I'm taking... Like, I'm on my grind this year, and definitely, with two A.P.

classes, I gotta, I gotta, um, I gotta make it work.

So, yeah, I'm definitely...

I'm definitely doing good in these classes now.

Yeah, As and Bs, mm-hmm.

Probably still want to study mechanical engineering.

Mm-hmm.

I've applied to Morgan, Coppin, Loyola, Drexel, UMBC, and U.M.E.S.

The ones that I'm most looking forward to is probably either Drexel, Morgan, UMBC, and/or Loyola.

I'm kinda too nervous to leave the city, because...

I don't know, living away from my mom, and everybody that I know, like... All my family is in Baltimore.

Yeah, getting financial aid is essential, because I know if... Well, let's say...

I know...

If I can go to college for free, it'd be more beneficial, so I won't be in debt as soon as I come out.

Yeah, I need a full support for college.

Oh, yeah, I mean, sure, it's overwhelming.

You know, I, I tend...

I, I tend to overthink a lot.

And because of that, it's very... Like, the pressure's in the mix.

I get nervous easy.

I'm, like, "What if this happens?

What if that?

What if I mess up?"

All that, but in general terms, yeah, you know, I'm, I'm pretty excited.

But right now, my mind's boggling, because I'm waiting for acceptance letters and all that.

I'm still applying to colleges.

It's a tough year.

(chuckles) I really want to become a stable person, because the people I live with aren't really in the best conditions in terms of living.

I know some don't have a stable job, so I gotta be a, I gotta take the initiative to be a better person.

And, you know, maybe potentially raise the future generation.

* (applauding) TYLER: His speeches and stuff, they just, like, hold... And they stay with you forever.

Like, you never forget his speeches...

So I just feel like today is gonna be, like, probably one of the most special days of my life.

So I feel like whatever he says today is gonna hold me for the rest of my life, so, yeah.

COURTNEY: You know, as us being 12th-graders and getting ready to graduate high school, it's gonna put a, just a drive in us to, you know, keep that, keep that energy going into college.

Ray Lewis made the impossible possible as a linebacker for the Baltimore Ravens, leading the team to two Super Bowl victories.

And today, he's here to give you the support you need on this next part of your exciting journey to college and beyond, to make sure you have the courage and strength to pursue your dreams.

Welcome, everyone, Mr. Ray Lewis.

- Thank you.

(applauding) How are y'all doing?

Nice to meet you guys, man.

Listen, it's an honor to be here.

So for me, man, it's always been challenging in our communities, right?

Because of things that's surrounding us, right?

So a lot of people think football was my way out.

It wasn't.

My way out was making sure that I was doing the right things to get my mom out, to get us out, to give us a different imagination of what you, we, all walk past every day and have to endure every day.

Right?

Whether it's crimes, whether it's drugs, whether it's violence, whatever it may be, how do we survive that?

Because I want you guys to know we're in the same space.

But what you guys have achieved is why I'm here.

That's why we're here today, because there's a leader in every one of you, right?

I didn't have a lot, but not having a lot, it's not always a bad thing.

Right?

It teaches you a lot when you don't have a lot.

And in my family, we hadn't had nobody go to college but my great-uncle.

So I said to my entire family, "I wanna be the first one to go to college."

How do I do that?

How do I get into college when the odds...

But I had an imagination like no other.

I had a fire in me like no other.

And that's what we're here to talk about.

* I just wanna say how much of an inspiration it is to meet you, Mr. Lewis.

I hate to repeat a lot of stories, but I also live in a single-parent home.

I never really talked or saw my dad like that.

Then my father neglected me at one point.

LEWIS: Hmm.

DAVIOIN: Like he didn't want me in his life.

And because of those factors, I always have this level of uncertainty.

LEWIS: Mm-hmm.

So, what you feeling, the uncertainty, and all of those things?

How old are you?

I'm 17.

I'm 46-- it ain't changing.

Every day of your life, we have to consistently get up with not only a plan, but a foundation, a base.

I don't get up every day with a perfect life.

I don't think nobody in here gets up with a perfect life.

It doesn't exist.

A perfect life doesn't exist.

But I'll tell you, the most successful people in the world, they got a plan.

That's the uncertainty.

You have to, you have to use that.

Like, that's...

I think if it's one... A couple of things I wanna give you guys today.

I want you to use what you think is uncertain, because it's really not.

I still can get up every day and make my life better.

That's, that's the challenge.

That's why you guys are here.

That's why I'm here: to tell you I'm just an example.

That's it.

I'm no better than either one of you.

We all in the same circle, man.

He shows that a young Black man can really do what he wants if he puts his mind to it.

* PRINCAYA: Well, um... (laughing) - (laughing): Oh!

That smile.

You something else-- go ahead.

- Um, well, for me, growing up, I had a...

I didn't grow up with a lot of friends, and still don't have, still don't have that many.

But I grew up with... Keep it that way, that's good-- keep going.

But I did grow up with a lot of bullies who said, "You're too big to do that.

You're not fast enough to do that."

I ended up joining my wrestling team.

I was strong enough to do it, though.

No matter how big you get, no matter how famous you get, you going... You always gonna have a naysayer.

You can't run away from them, so how do you deal with it?

Oh, man, I may have to sit down and tell you about this one.

This is my favorite side.

I'm, I'm... - (laughing) - No, listen, I'm telling you.

This is my favorite side.

My haters are my greatest motivators.

(others laugh) (laughing): I'm not, I'm not exaggerating.

Man, I love my haters so much.

I'm serious, I pray for my haters.

Baby, I'm telling you.

They...

The things... Me and you lived a very similar life.

When I was coming up, I was bullied weekly, and I'd make them pay attention to me by being successful.

Yeah, if you wanna, if you wanna really make your haters mad, do something that they ain't never thought about doing.

Become successful.

You'll piss a lot of them off.

Ray Lewis does inspire me to be courageous going through school, because, like, your whole life can be determined by high school and college.

* COURTNEY: First, I just wanna say thank you for, you know, you coming in and speaking to us today-- I appreciate it.

- Yes, sir.

- And we all appreciate it.

And I seen that you spoke on, like, on, you know, the process of getting to your success and how you, you know, fought through a lot of pain, and you speak on a lot of pain.

LEWIS: Mm-hmm.

Yeah.

So there's a physical side of pain, that if I pinch you, you'll say, "Ouch."

- Ouch.

- Right.

(laughs) I was waiting for the ouch, that's why I kept going, pressing harder.

(laughs) But that's the, that's the physical side of pain we feel.

But there's a mental side of pain that will drive you insane if you don't find out a way through it.

So, what I did with pain was, I stopped running from pain.

And that became my motto, is finding a way to push through what they, what everybody said was tough.

Coach said, "Let's run."

"Oh, man, why we got to run this much?"

I'm not complaining, I'm just running.

I'm broke, I ain't got nothing else to go back home to, anyway.

Ray Lewis is definitely someone that inspires me to just follow my dreams and conquer all the goals that I have.

* I have nine siblings and, um, I'm number five of nine.

But, uh, I'm always looked to be, like, the older sibling.

LEWIS: Mm-hmm, mm-hmm.

Like, and lately, um, I've had to, like, try and find ways where I gotta, like, you know, do stuff for myself.

- Mm-hmm.

And I be feeling bad, because, like, uh... Like, I, I want them to have everything they want.

Yeah, and you, like... And you seem like you also, you also do that.

So, can you speak to me about that, like, how to, you know, how to do stuff for myself?

Every time somebody ask you something, it's yes.

Every time somebody in your family ask you for something, you fix it.

Every time something... Every time.

And to... And today... (laughing) So that's what I'm telling you, today I simply said, "I'm done, man, I'm, I can't."

You can't, right?

And if, if you start off like that as a young man, I'm telling you this from experience, you will be living like that the rest of your life.

My entire family depends on me.

I took care of my entire family my whole life, since I was 17 years old.

(laughs): And to this day, it's still not enough.

But then at one point, you gotta get to a point to where you say, "It's okay to take care of me."

And the number-one word I found out that's more valuable than anything that you got to add to your vocabulary, is no.

And, and mean it.

Brother, you can't do it, man.

Stop...

It's almost, uh...

The one, the one thing I say to myself is, "Stop playing God."

We're not.

And we can never solve all these problems.

And your family's probably gonna be the hardest one.

He was telling me, like, "Take care of yourself."

And that felt good, because everybody looks to me in my family to take care of them, but he was saying, you know, look where he's at and how he got there, and he would not have gotten there if he wasn't taking care of hisself first.

* I was, uh, taken away from my mom at five, so I haven't lived with my mom since I was five.

So, I haven't really talked to her that much since I was five, so...

It's really important, guys, ladies and gentlemen, who, who is your core?

Who's the people that's around you, that actually challenge you to do better, be better, and see better?

And everybody in this room right now, you are all special, whether you realize it or not, because you're sitting here.

How many other people you know in your life right now, friends you know in your life, that's already made the wrong decision?

You know 'em.

You know 'em by name, some of them blood.

So, that's where we gotta start at, but it's the things you got to go through, it's the things you have to endure.

And honestly, if you wanna be successful, nobody's gonna do it for you.

I promise you that.

I feel like since I'm a senior, this is my last year of high school, I feel like I wanna go out with a bang, and I feel like that's exactly what Ray Lewis's motivational speech says.

That's what they kind give you.

They give you that bang feeling.

Like, they give you that feeling like you can go through a brick wall at 30 miles per hour.

I think giving up, with everybody in this room, is really not an option.

That's why this year is the most important year of your life.

Your senior year.

Because after this, something out there called the real world.

(students laugh) (chuckling): And it don't apologize to nobody.

So listen, I wanna thank you guys so much for letting me be a part of this mission.

Um, I truly hope and pray that things that I said, that you guys really take to heart, because I'm telling you, in life, people say mistakes.

Make a choice and don't look back.

You ain't got to please everybody, but it's not going nowhere.

Your test will be every day of your life.

And when you get successful, when you become to be successful, then you spread your message.

Do we got a deal?

PRINCAYA: Yeah.

COURTNEY: Yes, sir.

- We got a deal, we finishing this race, right?

(applauding) Okay, so, I'd like to thank you formally, because you came in here, gave us timeless information in a limited amount of time, and we'll always remember this, from your stardom to the, to the information you done gave us, so, thank you very much, formally.

Seeing a successful African American man, one of the most in the country, and for us, what we experienced today alone, I see the world, because the, uh, knowledge that he imparted upon us, it was...

It was beautiful, and just seeing him, it, it was... Just seeing him alone, it was next level, like, his...

When he kept saying to us, like, "Never give up, never give up," it, it felt...

It felt like something that I needed to hear, like, more than ever.

When we see somebody that made it and they telling you, like, "Yo, I was where you was at, don't give up."

So, it was, like, "I believe you, man."

Like, it just...

It made sense, and it felt like he was telling the truth.

It definitely was truthful, so it felt really good.

Showing us that truly, we can succeed in life.

Ray Lewis definitely changed our lives.

Everything he said, we soaked it in.

* We're very excited to have a college panel discussion with college representatives here with us, and they're going to tell you a little bit about what to expect when you go to college, your first year, and some tips for success.

(applauding) First of all, just, congratulations.

I know y'all, like, had to do a lot of work to get where you are and I hope you're really proud of yourselves.

What was the hardest challenge you faced in your first year of college?

I guess, like, the biggest thing for y'all to know, like, mental health-wise, is that, like, you're more than worthy of being there, and anywhere you go, but I kind of, like, had to keep reminding myself that, like, I'm more than worthy to be here.

If I wasn't, I wouldn't be here.

As a Black person attending a PWI, are there resources there to make a Black person, like, feel more welcome...?

Absolutely, yes.

So, Towson is, like, very, very diverse, and it wasn't even like that, what, a couple of years ago, but now it's very diverse.

So, transitioning from high school to college, was there, like, a shift in the amount of work?

Like, was there an enormous increase?

It's probably actually less work, like, daily.

Oh, thank God.

But, like, the biggest thing, like, the first thing I try to say is time management, and that's what got me.

You have time to party, and you don't have an, an adult in, in the, in the area to really manage your time, so, like I said, if you're in school, it's up to you.

Make sure you have goals.

Make sure you set goals for yourself.

Um, make sure you have, like, an end goal that you wanna accomplish, make sure you wanna have a goal that you wanna get stuff done.

You don't wanna be afraid to ask for help.

You know, like, it's gonna just be a lot of new experience, and especially just being in school, and having to do work and try to balance that with, you know, your social life and everything, like, you're gonna want some help, whether it be, like, from friends, whether it be from your advisers.

It's very easy to fall behind.

A lot of people have squandered great experiences because they end up falling behind, so you just wanna make sure that, like, you have, like, a good support system around you, you stay focused, you do your work, so that way you have time to have fun and, like, do whatever you wanna do, you know?

What do you do, be, like, "Oh, I gotta give that one a ball"?

Like, what, like, what stuff do you do?

The most critical thing is just, like, as soon as you get an assignment, you don't have to do it then and there, but, like, just start working on it, or at least understand the material, so come, like, around the time that you need to do it, you're not asking the professor at, like, seven... On Sunday, like, 10:50, when it's due at 11:59, that, "I don't understand how to do it."

How approachable are the professors and teachers?

For me, the biggest thing that helped me a lot was having a relationship with my teachers and my advisers, because your advisers are what, the people that are gonna help you navigate through college, and your teachers are the people grading your, giving you grades.

So, if you're, like, ever struggling in classes and stuff, it's so important to reach out to your teachers no matter what.

Even if it's just, like, a little question, you think that may be annoying, like, it's better for them to think you're, like, annoying than just not trying.

I think it also depends on, like, how you ask, too.

Like, a lot of teachers will give you specific ways to email them, like, a specific thing to put in, like, a subject, so I think the more you kind of, like, do things their way, the more they're willing to help you.

And, like, if you're not coming to them, like, kind of, like, with, like, animosity or, like, "I feel like you're trying to set me up to fail," or whatever, if you're going there with, like, genuine questions and stuff like that, then they'll be a lot more receptive.

I cannot stress it enough, like, especially, like, as a Black student, they're automatically gonna think you're not trying if they're not also a Black person themselves.

They're already gonna be, like, lowering their standards, so as, you know, you wanna reach out to them and show that, like, "Hey, no, I'm not, like, what you think I am-- I'm more."

Like, when are you in those moments where you feel like you alone or, like, you are alone at times, how do you, uh... Like, what you do for yourself?

Like, what you do to, like, get yourself back to where you trying to be at when you're feeling down, when it's, like...

So, y'all, all y'all gotta do is make sure you find your, yourself a little community.

We all go up together, and that's the one thing I really wanna emphasize.

And, um, no matter where you go, you just gotta find people that relate to you.

And also, like, mental health is a thing, that's gonna happen, that you guys, definitely, a lot of campuses, um, give out free guidance counselors and things of that nature.

It's not, as Black people, we always are, like, "Oh, no, I'm strong."

It doesn't mean nothing to need a little help.

Going back to, uh, balancing, like, your social life and academic life, how do you do that?

It can be really difficult sometimes, but I think it's just-- it's a mental thing more than anything, you know, it's, like, remembering what are you there for, you know?

Like, when you go to college, yeah, it's cool to have fun and everything, you're gonna, you're gonna have plenty of fun.

But it's about prioritizing and being, like, "Okay, why am I here to get a higher education?

"Is it to have fun or is it so that in four years, I can get a job doing what I wanna do and make some money?"

Has there ever been a point in your life where you've, you thought that your, like, sports has became more important to you than actual school?

Or has it been reverse, where school has become more important than sports, and you actually wanted to stop playing sports, or... Yeah, so, you just gotta know that this is what you wanna do.

Like, 'cause in college, it's gonna be, you're all on your own.

I did have that, like, uh... That jump where I was looking at, uh, my sport more than, not focusing on school, and I was falling behind, but I had, like, I had to, you have to balance that out.

You got to balance both of those out the same time.

Anywhere in life, there's gonna be people that are trying to stray you away from your path.

You gotta make sure you have the right mindset to be, like, "Nah, this person is not right for me."

You gotta make sure your, your goal-- nothing can get in, in the way of that.

And I think one thing to expect is that college will really go by fast.

Um, speak for myself, I feel like that.

You all may already feel like that just about school in general, but college goes by fast, so, like, really just, like, soak it all in, because I feel like it's a once-in-a-lifetime experience, you know, you really sort of learn your independence.

It's a lot of growing up you do, you know, just being on your own.

* * PRINCAYA: So, today we have Dr. Jarrell, the president of UMB, and we'll have everybody introduce themselves to you today.

- Thanks, Princaya.

Well, nice to meet all of you.

It took a lot of work on your part to get here, didn't it?

DAVIOIN: Definitely.

PRINCAYA: Yeah.

- Did you know it would take this much work?

PRINCAYA: No.

(chuckles) DAVIOIN: Yeah.

JARRELL: So, you like math?

- Yeah, I, I'd say out of all the, like, academic subjects, math is definitely... - Yeah.

- ...my most favorable one.

JARRELL: Excellent.

DAVIOIN: Yeah.

JARRELL: Okay.

* DAVIOIN: I'm at the end of my senior year, and some of the colleges I got accepted to is U.M.E.S., Loyola, Drexel, and one of my top picks, UMBC.

I wanna live in a dorm, I wanna experience that freedom that a lot of people have been telling me about, and, uh, I'm nervous leaving home for the first time.

You know, I've never lived anywhere else besides my house, or with my mom.

You know, I, I'm concerned, not only for myself when I leave, but for, you know, the people I leave behind, like my mom.

When something as big as this comes on the table, yeah, I start to overthink a lot.

You know, like, "Whoa, what if this happens?"

Or, "What if that," like, I, probably stuff I don't even need to be thinking about.

I'm in a single-parent home and my mom works with disability, so it's important that I get as much money as possible, so I'm able to go to a four-year college.

If I don't get financial support, I'm more likely to have to go to community college and work.

Well, I, I feel like it's a miracle, you know, being in the circumstances that I'm in, and just having a lot of people seeing a lot of untapped potential in me.

It, it gives me a lot of courage and it makes me wanna do these great things that they see in me.

So, if you could tell me what the one thing is that you need most to help you be successful, what would that be?

- Um...

I'd definitely say money.

Mm-hmm.

Money, money plays a big part.

Like, uh, I need a lot of financial support, but, I'd say, you know, if we were talking stuff beyond money-- 'cause I know it's not always about money.

HILL: I don't know if you're interested or not, but I would gladly mentor you, uh, to make sure that you have somebody you can reach out to, who might be able to help you with certain things, make connections for you, to make sure that you're successful.

'Cause sometimes you have a question, just saying it out loud, sometimes you figure it out on your own.

But if you're just sitting there thinking about it, it can run away with you, so to speak.

- That's really cool, thank you.

But I, I'd like to try to see what I can do to help you.

- Thank you.

- I'm glad to meet you.

DAVIOIN: Honestly, uh, I'm able to be very successful 'cause of the people around me.

I, obviously, you know, there's still some struggle here and there, but I, I actually feel like I can make it through life.

* TYLER: I've been accepted to quite a few.

My top schools right now are U.M.E.S., Loyola, and Hampton University.

I wanna go to U.M.E.S., so University of Maryland Eastern Shore, and being that I play basketball, I wanted to stay close, and U.M.E.S.

is a D-I school, so, uh, I just wanna stay close to home than go too far away.

I talked to the coach already, and the coach told me that I should try out, so I'm gonna try out.

And I will succeed, because one thing that I do that's different from others-- which a lot of people may say, but I actually do it-- is persevere.

Me, I actually put forth the effort.

I mean, I actually wanna, like, see my life go somewhere.

PRINCAYA: Um, I'm going to U.M.E.S.

and I'm studying psychology.

- Psychology.

- Mm-hmm.

So, it's, it can be research, or it can be taking care of people who need help.

The reason why I got into psychology was for the second reason, 'cause I wanted to be pre-med, and then COVID happened, and I realized that we have a really large shortage of mental health workers.

- We do.

PRINCAYA: So, I'm going to University of Maryland Eastern Shore, and I decided to do psychology as my major.

It's not too far from home, and, but it's not too close, so my mother can't visit me every other day, but she can visit me, like, every month or so.

In regards to financial aid, it's the number one priority for me, 'cause going to college is already stressful enough-- like, financial aid, is just unnecessary stress.

This isn't my first time leaving Baltimore for an extended period of time, but it's my, it's gonna be my longest time being away from home.

A whole four years.

Whoof... SHAKEER: From the way I'm looking at it, I've been really, really successful this year.

Um, I think the thing that happened with me that flipped the switch would be me maybe realizing where I am and realizing where, where I want to be.

My plans, uh, of course, first finish high school, and then after that, attend Baltimore City Community College for two years, and then transfer those credits, hopefully, to Morgan.

I'm really hyped, I really am excited about community college.

For the past few years, two years, I was moving around a lot-- you know, my mom's house, my dad's house, my sister's house.

I don't know, it's just, it was, it was my life for a while.

Right now, I'd say I work about 30 to, like, 35 hours a week, and, of course, I still gotta go to school, so I go to school.

Actually, I have really good attendance.

I have perfect attendance this, this month so far, um, and then, of course, you know, I'm a family man, I take care of my siblings.

I'm glad that I have all this energy and I'm able to take care of all of it, everything I wanna take care of.

These past few years, I've been through so much, just everything I've had to deal with.

You know, growing up in Baltimore alone, but I've done it.

Some way, somehow, I've done it.

COURTNEY: So my big three, um, you know, schools, as far as colleges and universities that I could go to, would be Towson, number one, uh, North Carolina A&T, number two, and Morehouse University.

So, I guess it'll be more so how to balance, you know, adjusting to this new environment and still being able to focus in school, and still get everything done that you need to get done and still enjoy your time, you know.

School isn't for everybody, that's a fact.

But, um, when you have a goal set in place, you're gonna have to finish school regardless.

Have the, have the mindset of, "I'm going to finish this and then I'm gonna do what I have to do after that."

You know, growing up and understanding that we're, you know, we're becoming adults and that, you know, we're not gonna always have our parents and, you know, teachers to, you know, just help us out all the time.

JARRELL: Well, you help yourself, that's what you're doing now, and that's what you've done the last six years, helped yourselves.

So, congratulations, lot of pride.

I have a lot of pride, we have a lot of pride, all of us have a lot of pride-- way to go.

DAVIOIN: Thank you, Dr. Jarrell, for talking with us, and I feel like this is a good conversation.

Well, time slips away from you, and conversations like this are really useful, they're influential, they can change your way of thinking, they can change my way of thinking.

There's lots of value to being able to sit.

I wish we could do it more often, and I think also for each of you to know that you've got a home here.

I hope to see you back here.

* DAVIOIN: Honestly, I have to say, when I do see a cop car around my house, it does make me a bit fearful.

And what's going on right now in the news and stuff, and it always lingers in my head, like, that could happen to me.

I found out that somebody was shot in front of my house that same day, and nobody could go into the house for, like, three hours until they removed the body.

TYLER: Because of my height, because of, like, the way I look, because I'm, because I'm Black, so they automatically, they might assume that I have a weapon, or if I try to put my hands up, they might just shoot me, or it's, like, it's, it's, like, because... And they take police brutality to a whole new level when it comes to Black-- Blacks.

SHAKEER: My struggles are, like... Well, since I am getting older and I'm closer to that age, maybe, like, seeing how the police target Black males...

So they made us, they basically, they made us to put it at a level where we don't even like ourselves.

They think that we're probably some violent, some violent, barbaric city children.

We're not that at all.

We're already disadvantaged people, and it seems as if every year, we become more and more so disadvantaged when we're supposed to be going the opposite way, you know?

(sirens wailing) TYLER: Well, I really just want, you know, to be able to wake up and everything...

I know when I walk outside that I won't be shot because I'm Black.

I just hope that one day there's a peace, you know, there's, like, people can wake up and know that they're equal to the next person.

WES MOORE: Because right now, there's a distance between those two things: what we aspire to be, and what opportunities are there and present to us.

There's a distance.

Our job is to forever close those distances.

We need you in this fight.

We need you to get us to where we need to get to.

And the journey's not gonna be simple.

It's not going to be easy.

Anyone who's telling you it is is not telling you the truth.

But just know that that way doesn't have to be yours alone.

* (people talking in background) DAVIOIN: I have been blessed with the opportunity of getting a full ride to Loyola.

They offered me a lot of scholarship money.

I feel like my life in college is gonna be very eventful, and, like, I can't wait to experience that freedom.

PRINCAYA: So I'm excited 'cause I get to go all the way out to U.M.E.S.

So, I got a lot of financial aid and scholarships, external and internal, and I qualify for a full tuition scholarship.

SHAKEER: I definitely am excited about attending B-triple-C.

This college period is such a different step.

TYLER: I'm going to the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, and I'm super-excited.

Well, a lot's changed, I guess, to, yeah, you know.

But, uh, so basically, my decision on, you know, school, and I want to do after high school, I decided that, um, I'm gonna go to trade school, um, to become an electrician.

It's actually a four-year program, and I'm pretty excited for that.

TYLER'S FATHER: Tyler will be the first, uh, in my family generation to go to college and pursue those type of things, so it's, like, day and night.

I can't even explain my happiness.

It's been a, it's been a long ride, but we're finally here.

I am so proud of him.

Just to see him work hard, he worked so hard to get to this point.

He knew that he had a goal, and he kept, he kept pushing, like...

I am super-excited.

I'm fighting back tears right now.

So, it's been an amazing journey.

I cannot even describe what the emotions, it's just, it's amazing.

PRINCAYA'S MOTHER: A lot of young girls in West Baltimore, they end up pregnant, in jail, or just getting in trouble.

But Princaya didn't.

And she didn't because she had a wonderful support system.

The staff at her schools, her family, her friends.

Princaya stayed on a straightened path, and I'm-- we are so very proud of her.

(applauding) ("Pomp and Circumstance" playing) (applause and music continue) MCGINNIS: Graduations are events that allow us to both celebrate the promise of the future, but also give us a wonderful moment to reflect on the past and all the lessons learned along the way.

JAY PERMAN: I met this group of scholars.

They were 11 years old.

Over, uh, the next seven years, they-- not us-- they would prove true everything we believed about their determination, their talent, their potential.

Congratulations to all of you.

You've made me so proud.

(applauding) JARRELL: It's marvelous where you've gotten acceptances to college.

We're so proud of the list.

We're so proud of your accomplishments.

140 college acceptances.

Pretty remarkable achievement.

(audience applauding) And I'm gonna embarrass, uh, Courtney.

You didn't know I was gonna say something, but I think the essence of why we're here is in Courtney's quote, and this is Courtney's quote.

"I have been molded "to be a professional, "act with energy, "understand my worth, "and know that when I walk into a room, I belong there."

(audience applauds and cheers) You know, I, too, grew up in an area, in an underserved area of an inner city, where there are constantly subtle and overt assaults that will make you ask the question about belonging.

You belong for a number of reasons.

Your desire to pursue your dreams is part of your belonging.

Your grit, unique to you and your journey, gives you special power that also contributes to your belonging.

I'm deeply proud of you, very personally, because I saw all of you when you were 11 years old.

And so, I'll end with reminding you that you do belong.

Control what you can.

Please don't be an island unto yourself.

And always protect that confidence and cherish it.

(applauding) In front of you, you have scholars who have dedicated their selves time and time again to this program, and to their academic achievements.

And look at these scholars who, who have broken barriers, stereotypes, and looked good while doing it.

We may be the first of this program, but we most definitely will not be the last.

Thank you-- whoo-hoo!

(audience applauding) - (exhales) Hey, everybody.

It's been a while since I've done one of these.

My voice is a bit different.

(audience laughs) Looking out at all y'all faces, some that I've known for so many years now, and some that I'm just seeing for the first time, I just want to say thank you.

One face that will forever stand out to all of us is Dr. Saunders.

Man, just clap for her, please.

(applauding) (Shakeer laughs) You know, Dr. Saunders, I know it wasn't always you, but many times, it was, you know?

And, uh, just her and about 20, 30 11-turning-12-year-olds.

And I tell you, she never fell behind.

She created bonds with each and every one of us that, as you can see today, is still so strong, and they still growing.

To our many mentors, you spent so much time with us.

Like, we really, Mr. Josh, my mentor, Ms. Katie, y'all, he became everyone's mentor.

And, just, thank y'all for that.

Thank you, every one of our mentors spending time for us.

It was beautiful.

We can't forget our parents, you know, waking us up every Saturday, picking us up late nights from school, forcing us to go to CURE when we were, like, too tired to go.

(laughing) Without our parents, none of us would be here.

Finally, to my brothers and sisters of Cohort One, we did it.

(applauding) We have lived through so much, just growing up in West Baltimore.

And I'm proud to say each and every one of us is strong and resilient.

You believed in us, and your support has made us strong and gave us the power to succeed.

We will change the world.

(audience murmuring) It all began when we were just little sixth-graders, and now look at us, graduating seniors.

And we will show the future generations how to make the impossible possible.

Thank you.

(applauding and cheering) Scholars, please stand.

(applauding) Shakeer Franklin.

SHAKEER'S MOTHER: I am proud, I am proud to see him, you know, and all of the growth that he's made, all the strides that he's made, everything he's tried, the successes, the failures, everything.

I am proud, I am proud, yeah.

MCGINNIS: Princaya Sanders.

(laughing) PRINCAYA'S MOTHER: She really surprised me, 'cause I did not know she was gonna go this far academically.

She will be the first person in our family with a college degree.

I just want her to be successful, that's all I want.

She's doing wonderful, and we are so very proud of her.

Davioin Hill.

DAVIOIN'S SISTER: It was just a very, very, very exciting moment to see him, like, light up at the, at what he has done, like, the things that he's accomplished, and the fact that he's able to go to school, like, with a full ride, it just lifted, it lifted it.

It was, it was beautiful, it was amazing.

MCGINNIS: Tyler McKenzie.

TYLER'S AUNT: We were able to work with him, see him grow, see him excel, be there for him, and I'm just so proud of him.

I, I know he's gonna do great things.

Look at where they are now, you know?

We're just so proud of him.

TYLER'S FATHER: My son, he's on his way to college, so, I mean, he's, my son to me is, uh, my gift to the world.

That's how I see that, you know?

The best thing that ever happened to me is my boy.

MCGINNIS: Courtney Jacobs III.

COURTNEY'S MOTHER: He made us proud.

Um, in everything that he's been doing, he's grown tremendously.

Any parent's dream is to make sure that our kids are successful, so that's my dream, for him to be successful.

Uh, it's a, it's a dream come true, and, and I can't be more delighted with, with these students and more proud of them, either.

Let's give a round of applause for our graduates.

(applauding and cheering) * (applauding) * *