Janel Lanae Young, a young mom and college graduate, is living proof that education can be a way out. She “had a lot working against her, but said her education always pushed her forward,” NBC4i.com reported.
The news team was impressed that Young beat the odds to earn a high-school diploma and her college degree, debt free. She became a mom when she was 15 years old during her freshman year of high school.
Young earned her degree from the College of Social Work at Ohio State University. She hopes to grow her non-profit, T.R.U.E Beauty Enterprises, to help girls in foster care.
Young spent time in multiple foster care homes and with multiple case workers throughout her life. She was abused by her alcoholic mother, faced multiple sexual assaults, and attempted suicide three times.
Education was the answer to all that, along with help she received from others. In fifth grade, she was nominated for the Ohio State University’s Young Scholars Program, which enabled her to attend college for free.
Young attended mandatory meetings every two weeks, but was assisted by a case worker who drove her, fed her, and watched after her daughter. “After four case workers, I finally found one that cared about me,” Young said.
It’s not just perseverance — her daughter drove her to succeed. “Over time, I really think that I got pregnant so God could show me unconditional love, like real love,” she said. She decorates her home with pictures of her daughter becuase she has no pictures of herself as a child.
Through her example of love and dedication, Young is an inspiration to young women in difficult situations.
