By  Cherell Langford

Three young men at Loy Norrix High School got back on track when it came to their attention that their lives were heading in the wrong direction. They went from fame to shame and back into the right lane.

Carlos Escamilla, a sophomore at Loy Norrix High School, accomplished a lot of great things through out his life that made him feel great. In 6^th grade Carlos had perfect attendance at Millwood Middle School and in 7^th grade he got an award for being an excellent reader.

Carlos parents split up when he was 11 years old it affected him badly being in that situation made him lose interest in school and in basketball his grades slowly decreased.

“I felt stressed, sad and rejected,” Carlos said. However he overcame the hurt and set a goal for his life which is to go to the University of Michigan for engineering and one day own a Chinese restaurant.

Robert Robinson, a sophomore at Loy Norrix High School lived in Chicago and attended Roosevelt Jr. High School for his 7^th and 8^th grade year. He was the MVP for basketball, on the student council, and also on the national Jr honors society.

Then came a difficult time in Robert’s life, his grandma died in 2007 and his granddad died in 2009 which was someone very special to him.

“He took me to my first baseball game the White Sox” said Robert “My father was not around like I wanted him to be.” Robert continued. It all affected his grades terribly.

Robert felt lonely, stressed, and didn’t think he had enough attention. He lost interest in sports and school so he started focusing on girls, money and just trying to fit in with the cool people. Helping his mom around the house, getting advice from his uncle, and putting all his faith back into basketball turned his life back around. Now he plans to go to Ohio State for business, engineering and actuary.

Advice that Robert gives to others is, “Do what you know is best to better yourself”.

Terrence Virgil was on the football and basketball team when he lived in L.A and attended Crenshaw high school in 9^th grade and had gotten lots of trophies.

“I lived in the hood of L.A” Terrence said. What he saw and heard in his environment influenced him to join a gang. He ran into the wrong group of teens who called them selves the “Westside Harlem 30 crips” which started in the early 1970’s when deadly wars went on. Terrence was affected in a horrible way he came in contact with the police daily, he was locked up in juvenile homes and was on probation. The streets were all he knew.

“I felt depressed, lonely, and misunderstood,” said Terrence.

Being in the streets was not the right thing to do, he knew that but instead he continued to follow the wrong herd. Sports and school were no longer interest in Terrence’s life.

A few months ago he moved out of L.A to better things for his self and is now a student here at Loy Norrix High School. Terrence plans to go back to his home town and attend the University of Southern California to become a real estate agent.

Advice that Terrence gives to others is “Do not join gangs, turn away from the streets and focus on school”.