In all honestly, I never expected such a beautiful flower to bloom from this ground fertilized by misfortune and bad decisions. YABC (Young Adults Borough Center) wasn’t in my plans for the future, but looking back, I wish I had found this place sooner. Mr.Smallhorne has more than welcomed me to this school. He has rewarded my successes with mentally stimulating and eye opening experiences that have widened my train of thought regarding various things. The staff here has helped me in understanding my future, planning for my future and executing measures to make dreams into realities.

This marking period (my first in this program) I was constantly reminded that I was expected to excel and excel I did. I made the honor roll with a 91.80% average. A select group of my peers and I were honored with a trip to Discovery Time Squares? Body Worlds. It is an amazing showcase of the human anatomy. It exhibits the real bodies of those whom have died and donated their bodies to science and education of the public. Several thing which can be seen here are; how cultural differences affect the body, the stages of fetal development, anatomy of a horse, the effect of smoking, the effect of cancer on the body, as well as a wide array of other things. It was truly one of the best trips that I’ve ever attended. It really showed me how much knowledge I possess of?the human body and how close my dream of becoming a cardiac surgeon may actually be. I know there is a long road ahead to that dream but I am on my way. I feel like people usually look at us YABC students as underprivileged who gave up on trying; they look down on us because it took an extra year or so. If there is one thing that Mr.Smallhorne and the YABC staff have taught me, it is that wealth is of the mind. Anyone who has?not?had the opportunity to meet these wonderful and nurturing people, well those are the ones who are actually underprivileged.

Written By: A privileged YABC student