McKeesport isn't one of the greatest places to live. In fact, it’s probably one of the worst in Allegheny County. After the decline of the Pittsburgh-region’s steel industry and the influx in gang activity, McKeesport became a cesspool of death, poverty, and demoralization. I moved to McKeesport when I was three.
Growing up, McKeesport was always a depressing and discouraging environment. Buildings were abandoned almost daily, and as a result, empty lots sprawled over the city like weeds in gardens. Dark clouds had permanent residents in the sky, no matter the season. News of violent deaths were commonplace, and every time one was announced, you only hoped and prayed it wasn’t someone you knew. For almost half of my life, that environment was an aspect of my very being. …show more content…
My best option was to take part in the Gifted program, but that was still not a very good option as the program and the teachers only had the funding to provide so much. After five years in McKeesport and several years in the public school system, my parents were fed up and made one of the best decisions in my life. They enrolled me in a program called FAME (Fund for the Advancement of Minorities through Education) which helped me get into a private school in Sewickley, a very affluent town. Later, they provided the support and coaching necessary for me to get into the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Young Scholars
Growing up, McKeesport was always a depressing and discouraging environment. Buildings were abandoned almost daily, and as a result, empty lots sprawled over the city like weeds in gardens. Dark clouds had permanent residents in the sky, no matter the season. News of violent deaths were commonplace, and every time one was announced, you only hoped and prayed it wasn’t someone you knew. For almost half of my life, that environment was an aspect of my very being. …show more content…
My best option was to take part in the Gifted program, but that was still not a very good option as the program and the teachers only had the funding to provide so much. After five years in McKeesport and several years in the public school system, my parents were fed up and made one of the best decisions in my life. They enrolled me in a program called FAME (Fund for the Advancement of Minorities through Education) which helped me get into a private school in Sewickley, a very affluent town. Later, they provided the support and coaching necessary for me to get into the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Young Scholars