By: Jamese Staton
My name is Jamese Staton and I am 18 years old. I would like to tell you a little about myself,
and how I became relentless.
It all began in seventh grade at the Lincoln Charter School, where I got off to a great start.
However, I believe expressing my emotions when angry and posting negative things about
people on social media had a lot to do with the way I began to act out. I began fighting,
associating with the wrong people, hanging in the hallways and hooking class. This eventually
led to suspensions and transfers to multiple schools.
My downward spiral continued until my junior year of high school. At age 17, I became pregnant
with my beautiful son, Zaki who is the world to me. During this time, my mom enrolled me in the
Teen Parent Initiative Ministry which accepted me with open arms. I appreciate TPI and love
them for giving me an outlet to express myself without being judged and talk to teen moms who
went through similar challenges. Today, I am learning how to deal with my challenges instead of
acting out because of my emotions. My attempt to try to be a good mom, work full-time, attend
night school and do homework was not easy, but I did it. I was tired all the time, but I remained
on the honor roll. Yes, an honor roll student with a 3.5 GPA, and I graduated from high school
on May 29, 2020.
I thank my mom for always having my back and never giving up on me. I also thank her for
enrolling me in TPI. Each day I continue to grow and be relentless.