Student Rising Above Overcomes Violent Childhood On Way To College

SONOMA (CBS 5) - The 2011 class of Bay Area Students Rising Above have often overcome family lives full of violence, neglect, drug abuse and poverty on their way to academic success. In the case of John Kennedy, he faced all of those obstacles while still caring for his younger siblings.  

John never thought he'd have a steady place to live, but he found it at the Hanna Boys Center in Sonoma.

"Three meals a day, it's like heaven," said John. "It's great. I love being here." "It's like a fairytale, compared to his childhood in Dayton, Ohio," said John. "I was often hungry and sometimes homeless."

But the worst picture still remains in John's memory, watching his father and his father's girlfriend attack his mom.

"Lynn, who is my dad's girlfriend, stabbed my mom," said John. "I saw it happen."

John's father went to prison, for conspiracy to kill his mom.

"It still gives me nightmares when I think about it," said John.

John was in charge of his little brothers when his mom became addicted to drugs.

"John would keep us safe, make sure we had clothes, and make sure we had food and make sure we studied," said Robert, John's brother.

"We didn't have any money. We were poor," said John. "Every time they had to eat, I had to steal food. That's the only thing I had to do, to make sure they ate. And a lot of the times there was only enough for them to eat, so most of the time, I really didn't eat some nights."

"I don't really know what a father figure would do but I do know, if I had a father figure, he would do what my brother did, which was take care of us," said Robert.

Nonetheless, it was a shoplifting charge after a move to California that brought John Kennedy to Hanna Boys Center. It turned out it was just what he needed.

"I felt cared about by adults," said John. "I never had that growing up. It's just like every staff member here, everybody I talk to here is an extended family member and that's what I needed."

The changes at Hanna Boys Center started on the basketball court, where the coach could see John's talent.

"You saw this transformation of a young man just start to blossom, and it was amazing to me," said Coach.

The transformation didn't stop at the basketball court - it started to permeate into other areas.

Graduating high school wasn't even on John's radar as a kid. It turns out that was just the start.

"I'm like, 'College? Where did you get that idea from?" recalls John. "That's far beyond anybody where I'm from."

"John is honest to a fault, very caring and loving," said his coach. "I really believe that John is the epitome of what most men would like to see their son become."

John Kennedy started classes this fall at Holy Names University, Oakland.

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