American Graduate: Homeless In High School

Series produced by KERA

Caption: Desmond Davis, Credit: Ginny Martin
Image by: Ginny Martin 
Desmond Davis 

For many teens, graduating from high school is tough enough. Try doing all that reading, homework and studying when you don't have a place to live. Meet some of these students in North Texas - and the people who are helping them out.

About 110,000 kids in Texas public schools are considered homeless. Many stay with relatives or friends. Others live in shelters or motels. Some even live on the street. Follow some of these students in North Texas -- and the educators and others helping them out along the way. KERA's American Graduate initiative - charting the journey from childhood to graduation - is funded in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the Meadows Foundation.


4 Pieces

Order by: Newest First | Oldest First
Caption: North Dallas High School students, Credit: Lara Solt
160. That was the number of homeless kids this past year in North Dallas High School. Homeless students are four times more likely to drop out, the...

  • Added: Jul 02, 2015
  • Length: 04:24
Caption: Charles Johnson and Desmond Davis, Credit: Lara Solt
For more than 15 years, Charles ‘CJ’ Johnson has unofficially fostered homeless kids from North Dallas High School. He’s made his house their home ...

  • Added: Jul 02, 2015
  • Length: 04:53
Caption: Desmond Davis
Desmond is one of those students that schools like to brag about: He’s a runner, wrestler and drum major. He graduated from North Dallas High Schoo...

  • Added: Jul 02, 2015
  • Length: 05:54
Caption: Sylvia Torres, Credit: Lara Solt
Across Texas, almost every high school has homeless students. They’re often invisible to classmates. Invisible to teachers. They’re even invisible ...

  • Added: Jul 02, 2015
  • Length: 06:00