Real life "Good Will Hunting" How did she do it?

By Miguel Brown

http://www.miamiteencounseling.com/

On June 8th CNN.com published a story about a real life "Good Will Hunting" who will be attending Harvard University this fall.  Click on the link below to read the article.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/06/07/us/from-janitor-to-harvard/index.html

It is truly a remarkable story.  Her name is Dawn Loggins and she was raised by two drug addicts in small town Appalachia.  During high school she was abandoned by her parents and became homeless.  Insurmountable odds for most teenagers who long ago would have embarked on a hopeless and dangerous path.  But Dawn was always managed to be a good student in spite of the abuse and neglect she suffered and the article mentions nothing of behavioral or emotional problems.  She was able to enlist the help of others in her community, maintain a job as a janitor at the very school she was attending, was heavily involved in extracurricular activities and managed to become part of the 2016 graduating class at Harvard University. 

How did she do it?  How do children born at the lowest rungs of the socioeconomic ladder with so many serious risk factors manage to achieve so much?  I would be thrilled to read your responses! Please comment below.

Another question is, as a parent, what do you do with this information?  Attempt to use it as inspiration for your teenager or as fodder for a guilt trip?  Is the comparison between your teenager and Dawn Loggings really fair?  How do you share this amazing story with your teenager but avoid placing undue stress on your teenager to succeed?  After all, she made it to Harvard and she was homeless and raised by drug addicts, so what's stopping you?  Its a fine line... how would you walk it?

I would love to read your responses!  Please comment below!