BYOU

Meet Austin

I live in the moment, but I'm also really excited about my future. I know what I want and I work toward that goal every day of my life. Part of living the life of my dreams is getting a good education. Dropping out isn't worth it at all. All it means is hard times to come, hard work with little pay. My name is Austin and you'd better watch out because I'm gonna make it big.

My family life hasn't been easy and maybe because of that, dropping out of school might have been tempting. I live with my stepdad and my real dad lives in California with my older brothers. But my mom and my three little brothers keep me motivated and moving forward. I never wanted to drop out because I want to make it big for them – I want to make them proud.

Right now I'm a student at Firestone High, I work part time, and I'm a 330 Ambassador. Being an Ambassador in Akron has opened so many opportunities for me. I know younger students look up to me and I take that job seriously. I think it's important to be an individual and show how you are true to yourself and that you will not be just another statistic.

I'm really looking forward to graduating. I think it will be one of the best moments of my life and I can't wait to celebrate my success with my friends and family. It will open up millions of opportunities for me. After school, I want to travel the world and branch out my clothing line. In the meantime, if your kid is thinking about dropping out, give them my number. I'll talk to 'em.