Homeless Prom Queen Achieves 4.0 GPA, Earns Full College Scholarship

As we move through graduation season, Destyni Tyree seems like she’s living the dream. Tyree was just voted prom queen and cheer captain by her peers. Academically, she completed high school in two years with a 4.0 GPA, grades good enough to land her a full scholarship to West Virginia University’s Potomac State College campus. However behind all that, she was living in one of the most notorious homeless shelters in the country.

Several years ago Tyree’s mother lost her job, plunging the family into financial uncertainty at a time when cost of living expenses were skyrocketing. Eventually the family was forced to move into Washington D.C.’s largest homeless shelter D.C. General. The living situation initially had a negative effect on Destyni’s academics, leading her to fail out of several school’s. Of that time, Tyree told ABC, “I had a lot of issues with classmates and teachers. It was just too much.”

Things changed when Tyree enrolled in Roosevelt S.T.A.Y. High School, an institution that uses alternative teaching methods to teach troubled students. The girl embraced the new environment, throwing herself into her studies, taking weekend classes, and becoming involved in extracurricular activities all while working a part-time job.

Eugenia Young, the school’s principal, held Tyree in high esteem saying, “As a student, she is a natural-born leader. She is a joy to be around, she has a good heart.” Young also called her a “bubbly person” and a “phenomenal” student.

For her part, Tyree says she’s looking forward to moving forward with her life.

“Quite frankly, I’m ready to go and live life,” she said. “I know there’s a better life out there for me.”

She went on to give advice to others in situations similar to her saying, “It gets better. If you work hard enough, if you have that drive, if you have that motivation, it gets a lot better.”