According to the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) website, The National Runaway Switchboard estimates that there are approximately 1.3 million homeless young people living in the streets, or with friends and strangers. Of those, 75 percent will be middle-school or high-school dropouts.
For troubled teens, the reasons to drop out of school could be many. “Homeless youth are at a higher risk for physical abuse, sexual exploitation, mental health disabilities, substance abuse, and death,” says the NCSL. So it’s no small feat that Denver, Colorado teen Drake Eddings managed to keep himself on his feet and go on to graduate despite being kicked out of his home and forced to live on the street.
When asked if he ever thought he’d be homeless at 18 years old, he replies, “No I didn’t.” He adds, “The first thing you think of is 'Who could I call?' You get to calling people, and people don’t answer.”
However, thanks to Urban Peak, a nonprofit that works with homeless and troubled youth to help them transition into adulthood, Eddings has not only graduated from high school but has also signed a lease on his very own apartment. So what's next for the once homeless youth? Eddings has plans to attend college.
“I am 18, I have my own car, I have my own place,” he says. Chuckling, he adds, “I think I’m killing the game.” We'll second that! Congratulations, Drake!
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