A NICE TURNAROUND

A teenager who joined a gang in elementary school has mended his ways, achieving a 4.0 GPA at a new high school. Brayan—who doesn’t want his last name revealed—ran away from home at the age of 12 and for three years embraced a life of street crime and drug use. Even after leaving the gang and returning home, he was expelled for selling drugs in school. But with a new high school came a fresh start, as a teacher inspired Brayan to write about his experiences rather than repeat them. The 17-year-old is bound for college in the fall.