You work hard, you get ahead. That’s the ethos that many Americans live by, and one that has driven this country. It’s part of the Puritan mindset exported from England during the early days of colonization in the Americas. Yet, now, with wages stagnating, some are questioning the American dream, while others feel that luck may just be what allows people to move up.
Well, meet one teen that has worked hard for the past five years with one goal in mind: have enough cash to pay for all four years of college. Fox13 reported that in Memphis, Tennessee, Kevuntez King, a straight A-student who also participates in extracurricular activities such as baseball, basketball, golf, bowling, swimming and tennis, has succeeded in that endeavor. Selling newspapers at an intersection in West Memphis, King made roughly $200 a week for the past five years. He said student loans aren’t an issue and neither does his mother have to pay out-of-pocket to pay for his education.
Fox13 said he’s been selling those papers starting at the age of 12, his single mother teaching him to be independent and to get out there and make something of himself. He’s stayed away from the crime and violence that dot Memphis and always tries to surround himself with influences that allow him to grow as a person.
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“Make sure you surround yourself with people that’s trying to go up in life and not trying to bring you down. Just stay positive and always believe in yourself and push for it,” he told Fox13.
That mindset has paid off. He’s been accepted to Tennessee State University.
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