EDGE has given me the tools I needed to dig a new tunnel out of the lifestyle I was living. While attending EDGE I had no doubts that my teachers and classmates had complete faith in my ability to graduate.
Before attending EDGE my life was going through ups and downs, twists and turns, and I never had it completely under control. I attended Southern High School and I was incarcerated in Durham County Jail for four months after engaging in a fight at school that I wish I had never started.
I was kicked out my senior year and I figured I had wasted my whole life away. Shortly after being released I was involved in situations where I was getting in even more trouble with the law.
Now that I am attending EDGE, I feel like my life is slowly getting back on track, and I plan to receive my GED and continue my education. If all goes as planned, I will enroll in NCCU. I am not only doing this for myself, I am doing it for my family, the EDGE Program and the EDGE staff.
EDGE thank you for giving the opportunity to get it right!
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EDGE is a door for youth that opens New Horizons in life. The GED program is an ice-breaker that revitalizes youth’s energy to sustain difficulties and builds self-esteem.
When some public schools became revolving doors, EDGE became the youth’s promise and hope to academic advancement. Ms. Fran is a role-model administrator and educator who instills knowledge and inspires youth in achieving short and long term goals. EDGE is a light-house where the youth pick up their shattered dreams and strengthen aspirations.
…….EDGE being an educational shrine should be nurtured and patronized with support and funds, so that a strong foundation for future accomplishlments for our youth is provided.
Marepally Reddy, PhD
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My name is Jayquian Devone and my friend Fred told me about a school called EDGE. He said it would be a great place for a person like me to start. Between the great teachers and the hours we attend, there was no reason why I shouldn’t give EDGE a try. So here I am attending EDGE. The longer I am here, the better I like it; completing my last two test and getting ready to graduate. Also, someone who is very important to all of us would be Ms. Fran for giving us an opportunities to do something better than any of us started out to do. I basically have sat in the classroom and watched all of the guys I grew up with change their lives and they helped me change mine.
There is no other school like EDGE that can give you what EDGE can give you. It’s like a family where everybody encourages each other to do better. Whether or not you get involved in the wrong thing, Ms. Fran will always have us covered and get us back on track. She never gives up on us no matter what we are facing.
That kind of support makes you want to do the right thing. Personally I would do it for her if I was not doing it for myself. That’s why I am so glad I came to EDGE. I’m about to complete the education part and I am putting together a plan to take me further in life. Thank you Ms. Fran for giving me the chance to do something positive. I am proud of myself and my family is happy with me too.
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The Wonders of Ms.Fran
Hi my name is Dominique Arnette I have been attending the Edge program since Oct. of 2010. I have only been here for three months and Ms.Fran has already given me the strengths of life and the key to success. I think Ms. Fran is a wonderful person and she has the knowledge and courage to help many like myself, to prosper in life…. Thanks to Ms.Fran, I can finally move on to take steps in my life I really thought wasn’t possible! I thank you Ms. Fran because without you and your program, I wouldn’t have the courage to go on in life!… you have changed my life drastically and once again I thank you! You are a very special person and you’ve blessed so many… may you continue to do what you do best……bless and impart success to others!.. I love you Ms. Fran! THANK YOU!!!!!
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I am a single young mother, raising a daughter. I dropped out of school at age 16 and needed an opportunity. That’s when I found EDGE. I started attending EDGE January, 14, 2009. I met Ms. Fran, Executive Director and she helped me by accepting me into the EDGE Program and giving me a chance to get my GED. I completed all of my test with high scores. It took me a year to complete but I finally succeeded. I couldn’t have done it without the help of Desiree Simpson, my Case Manager. Now I have my GED and I will be walking in the graduation June 5, 2010. I am putting my paperwork in place so I can go to college. I want to thank my EDGE family and all the people who helped me; Ms. Fran, Ms. Carrie, Mr. Adam, Ms. Evie and Ms. Hartage for sticking with me through the process. I especially want to thank my Mom for not giving up on. My future is ahead of me and this is only the beginning…….
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WHAT EDGE MEANS TO ME!
EDGE means a lot to me. Some people took “me and my homies” for a joke when we signed up for the EDGE Program. Without the EDGE Program I would not be here today. I have been through a lot just through school and the streets and I am only 18. Who would have known that a person like me that has been in trouble, could still graduate on time.
I plan to go to college and represent the EDGE Program with full effect. I am going to graduate from college and take my life to the next level. My past is behind me and my future looks brighter than ever. Sometimes we gotta do what we need to do to get where we need to be. Ms. Fran didn’t give up on me when I gave up on myself. Plenty of times I thought, I’m not going back to EDGE, but she kept calling me and encouraging me to finish what I started.
A “BIG” thank you to Ms. Fran and the EDGE staff for motivating me and believing in me. I love them from the bottom of my heart for being there for me. There is no place like EDGE and if you are serious about your future, this is the perfect place to start.
ANTHONY “BUDDY” JONES
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Tags: Student
My real name is Bernard Gray III, but everybody calls me by my artist name; Trey Blaze. I came to EDGE when I was 16. High School life was not working for me; I caught a charge and dropped out. Upon my arrival at EDGE I loved the environment. I immediately made friends with everybody including the teachers. I was going through some difficult times in my life. My life was both positive and negative at the same time. I was having problems at home and at the same time I was on my way to having a successful rap career. EDGE gave me the feeling of belonging which made me more confident and I begin to realize I was going to be somebody in life. Ms. Fran was there for me when I was at my lowest point. It got worse, I was locked up for 4 months for something I didn’t do. I am out of jail and at 17 I have moved out of my home. Regardless of what comes down, I feel like I can handle it with the help of Ms. Fran. I will soon be getting my GED and hopefully sign a major record deal. Since being a part of EDGE I have started a positive organization, a positive album and started writing my book. Thanks to Ms. Fran for believing in me. Here I am today, three more tests to take and a bright future ahead of me. I believe that EDGE always does things in the best interest of the students.
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When I moved here from New York it was a new beginning. When I was in New York, I didn’t like school, I wasn’t respectful, I was on my second strike and was just released from jail. I wanted to get my mind straight and finish my education, but it wasn’t possible through the Durham Public Schools. My mother was looking for a school on the internet and she found the EDGE website and called. I met two wonderful ladies, Ms. Evie and Ms. Fran and this was the start of my road to success. I didn’t know too much about the GED and the patience it would take to complete the program. Nothing I have accomplished in the last two months would have been possible without the support of the EDGE staff. As long as you show you are putting forth any effort they are behind you 100% and willing to help you in every way possible. It doesn’t matter who you are, where you came from or how much you actually already know, EDGE will give you a chance. Thank you for accepting me for who I am. Gradually something was lifted off of me and I started changing into a better person. Being a part of the EDGE family makes you feel loved and appreciated and most of all accepted for who you are. I don’t miss New York and I like who I am thanks to EDGE. I love my new family; they always bring a smile to my face.
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The EDGE Program
The EDGE Program helped me change my life. I never really was a bad kid; I just made poor decisions. By the way, my name is Quadele McCoy. I was headed down the wrong path; hanging with the wrong people and doing the wrong things. But then, I realized that I needed an education and I was too smart not to get one. You know, they say that education is the key to success and I definitely want to be successful. EDGE was the key I started with to get my GED. My next step is to get registered in Saint Augustine where I want to study Mass Communications and become a radio broadcaster and D.J.
The EDGE is what you make it because Ms. Fran and Ms. Evie will help anyone who wants to help themselves. Prime example – me. I was kicked out multiple times but they believed in me and so they kept giving me chances. I knew if I would only apply myself that there was nothing I couldn’t do. When I walked across the stage and received my diploma and it gave me a great sense of accomplishment. Now that all of that is behind me; I see a very bright future ahead.
Thank you Ms. Fran and Ms. Evie for believing in me and thanks to the ones who didn’t – the motivation for me was being told what I could not do. Oh, well!
Sincerely,
Mr. McCoy
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When I first came to EDGE, I didn’t want to go to school, so I didn’t. My P.O. told me I had to go to EDGE or he would put me in jail. Of course, I quickly decided to go to school. When I came in and talked to Ms. Fran, she gave me a second chance. I am so glad she did because after I became focused and clicked into the system, I started doing what I had to do. I begin to love being at EDGE and my attitude started to change. I started appreciating Ms. Fran and how she takes time out of her day to help people like me. If it wasn’t for Ms. Fran or Mr. Singletary, I would be locked up or on the streets in more trouble than I could deal with.
Now I have my GED, I am graduating and I want to go to Saint Augustine College to accomplish my goals to becoming a nurse. EDGE helped me turn my life around and took me to church where I met Prophet Lee. He spoke success into my life and everything he said came true. I treat the staff at EDGE like my family and they treat me the same way. There is no way I could ever show all of my appreciation to Ms. Fran, Ms. Evie and the staff for what they did for me. I am not the same person I was when I started EDGE. I am respectful, I listen and I am serious about my future and only want to do the right thing. Thanks to EDGE for being there for me. I am going to accomplish my goals so they will know that all the work they put into me was appreciated.
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Stories from the EDGE . . . 