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Success Stories
Larry Cameron Makes Good on a Dream
As I look back on the last few years of my life I can't help but to notice how so much has changed for me in the best ways possible. I'm blessed. There have been so many great people that have come along, who have all played a role in helping me find light. Ever since I was a small child, I've known that I wanted to excel in life. However, growing up in downtown Cincinnati it seemed like there was always something that might deter my road to success. Here I am though, 19 years old and the only one of my seven friends from my neighborhood who went off to college. It would be selfish of me to not give recognition to my mother and great programs such as the Cincinnati Youth Collaborative. Both have given me endless opportunities to prepare for my future and instill in me the great qualities that were necessary to go above and beyond what was expected of me.
Life is totally about making decisions. In most cases, life only gives us one shot to make the right decision. To have seen so many people that I care for deeply go down the wrong path motivates me to stay focused. I've seen the results of giving in to failure and they're never positive. Though I'm far from perfect, I show determination and I try. I'm sure that's the reason why so many people have had no problem helping me achieve my goals in life.
If someone had told me at the beginning of my senior year that I would be attending Miami University following my high school graduation, I wouldn't have believed it. Because not only was I confused about what college I wanted to attend, I also knew that my mother didn't have the funds to send me to a prestigious school such as Miami. It wasn't until three months before graduation that I knew that Miami was the school for me. By attending Miami, I knew I would get the proper education I was seeking and that it would give me the opportunity to live in a totally different environment, something new. Mr. Cullen and the other fantastic staff members at the Cincinnati Youth Collaborative made it all possible. I can't recall one day that I didn't speak with Mr. Cullen during the summer and each time we spoke I felt one step closer to being a student of Miami University. He helped me find funding for school and he did everything in his power to get my application reviewed quickly considering how I applied late. He never gave up on me, and, as a result, here I am enjoying every bit of it. College has been a great experience so far and I'm just at the beginning of my journey. So not only did I get into Miami, but I also found a friend in James Cullen.
The time will come when it will be my turn to lend a hand and I will be more than willing to do so. Every day I wake up, I'm thankful because I know where I could have been had I not been helped by so many great people. None of the love that I've received will go in vain. My greatest fear is not living up to my fullest potential, so I will continue to work to my greatest abilities and I know the end result will be well worth it.
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