Oakland Student Excels After Grandmother Steps In For Missing Parents

OAKLAND (CBS SF) -- When Tanesha Walker crossed the stage during graduation ceremonies at UCLA, this year, she carried a lot of people with her. "I do feel like a lot of people just helped me across the journey," she said.

But more than anyone, it is Tanesha's grandmother - the woman who raised her - who most shares in her victory.

I feel just fantastic, great … that she has gone to UCLA and is graduating," said Mae Walker. "For I'm very happy for her and for myself."

We met both of them five years ago. Tanesha was a senior at McClymonds High School in Oakland, which had almost a 50 percent dropout rate at the time.

"I want to make something of myself," Tanesha said at the time. "I can do this. I can go to this place. I can be this."

Back then, she was working at the Boys and Girl's Club in West Oakland after school.

Tanesha was a saved child. She was too young to understand, but her grandmother Mae remembered the police officer who said her daughter, Tanesha's mother, would no longer care for her own kids.

"He told me … as long as this woman doesn't have a place to stay, she cannot have these kids," said Mae. "Whether you keep them, whatever, she can't have them."

Tanesha's mother was homeless. So, Mae came out of retirement, took in all four grandchildren, and went to work to support them.

"I know she didn't have to do this. But she did this, like, loved us and everything," said Tanesha. "So it makes you feel wanted."

Tanesha learned that her parents were, quote: "incapable of caring for her." Even when they were ordered to show up in court, no one ever came.

"Why didn't they come? Why didn't they cooperate with them, like, did you not want me?" wondered Tanesha. "What was the reason behind it?'

The healing began with her grandmother. She proudly placed on her wall all of Tanesha's spelling bee prizes and trophies.

"She always instilled education," said Tanesha of her grandmother. "I remember she used to make us read every night before we go to bed." It paid off, along with her enrollment in the Students Rising Above program.

"I think for the whole family it would encourage others to do the same, to walk down the same road that Tanesha did and see that at the end of the rainbow there is a pot of gold (laughs)," said Mae. "But you have to put forth the effort to do that."

"Basically, don't give up," said Tanesha. "If I can make it, you can make it."