Abandoned and Homeless Youth Earns Scholarships

Staff reports

Brooklyn, NY – Abandoned by his family and living alone in a homeless shelter, the 18-year-old Orayne Williams has not just endured, but excelled.

Born into poverty outside Kingston, Jamaica, Williams grew up with no water or electricity. He scrounged the streets for food, and avoided gangs. His mother sent him to t Florida at the age of 12, with only the clothes on his back. There he lived with relatives who he says abused him and dealt drugs.

In 2007, Williams was reunited in Brooklyn with his mother and infant half-sister, who were also homeless. The three lived in motels and shelters, sharing one bed. In November, Williams’ mother kicked him out, and a social worker found him a spot at a shelter for young men in Brooklyn, where he now lives.

“I’ve been through hell, and it was impossible to focus on school. My
mom and I fought like crazy. School is my only way out, It’s like my
savior,” he said. “The only thing I have,” said Williams, a graduating
senior at Bedford Academy in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, N. Y.

With a 91 average and three Advanced Placement classes under his belt,
he’s headed for college with a scholarship and big plans. He found
refuge in school, arriving early and staying late. The young man awoke
for school at 5:30 a.m., and studied on his bed because there is no
desk. He took a bagged lunch made by shelter staff.

He hopes to become a doctor.“He touches your heart,” said assistant
principal Cluny Lavache, at Bedford Academy. “He works hard to blend in
with the students who have homes and families and support.” With his
positive attitude and the will to succeed, a lot of people are helping
and looking out for his welfare,” she concluded.

This fall, Williams will be a freshman at upstate Sullivan County
Community College, paying for his first year with $15,000 in grants.
“When I tell people I’m homeless, they’re surprised,” he said. “Most of
the kids at my school still don’t know. I feel blessed — so many good
things are happening to me,” Williams said.