How Troubled Beginnings Led To New Beginnings

Life comes full circle.

My high school years were great in some respects and not so great in others. Freshman year was great. The beginning of my sophomore year was great also but at the end, it took a turn for the worse. I made the worst mistake of my teenage years. I burglarized a home and was charged. Fortunate for me I would get a deferred sentence where If I stayed out of legal trouble for a year I would have my charges dismissed and expunged. I stayed out of legal trouble but started slipping in school.

While I always excelled academically, my behavior started slipping. Gangs, girls, school fights, and suspensions started affecting me academically. I began skipping school, smoking weed DAILY, and not taking sports seriously. I started getting in trouble with my probation agent. She did the best she could to change my young teenage mind through programs and more, but I didn’t appreciate it at the time. Although I completed the 1-year term of my sentence, I still had a lot of work to do to change my behavior.

As a result of my constant truancies, I was ineligible to play football in my Junior year(I had to sit a game for each truancy). To play basketball that year, I had to sit on the bench for the entire football season to be eligible to play basketball that year. I was successful in doing so. My pride came back as I was now a student-athlete again and more focused.

This would be short-lived. After basketball season, I slipped back into my old ways and started skipping school. When football season rolled around again, I would have to sit out 4 or 5 games before I could play during my senior year. On the first day of practice, I arrived late and was kicked off the team. Coach said “Get the hell out of my locker room “Harris”. I am not dealing with your BS this year” I used to be so mad at him for this but looking back, I brought it on myself.

Depressed, I stopped caring and skipped school a little more. These additional truancies ensured I could not play basketball that year but I didn’t care. Then one day a different coach came to me in the hallway and with a smile he said, “Hey Harris, you may as well drop out of school like the rest of “them”, you can’t play sports…why are you even here?”I don’t know what it was about that, but I was determined to prove this dude wrong. I made a dramatic change and started getting super focused. Forced myself to go in at a certain time, did all of my assignments on time, and stopped “Hanging out” as much as I was before. I locked in so that I could at least graduate from High School.

All of my teachers noticed this and at the senior assembly, I was awarded the “Most Improved Senior Award". Going to college became a reality in my mind. I started seeking scholarships and getting letters of support from people. This letter below is from Mr. Wiess. The dean at the time. Since I was always in his office, we had a good relationship. When I asked him for a letter, I didn’t know if he would write one for me but to my surprise he did.

He, Coach Aronin, Coach Wilson, Coach Redueax, Coach Wilhelmsen, and Principal Jody Bloyer always saw stuff in me that I did not see in myself. My senior year was filled with words of encouragement from them. My mother recently gave me a bunch of stuff she saved over the years and this letter was one of them. I teared up at the part of the letter where he said: "Even after his disappointment with the basketball program, he held his head high. The look of determination was on his face as he continued to do well in school and gain the respect of his peers as a leader. "I'm not sure if he knew how much of a challenge that was for me so to see that was refreshing.

Also, the part where he indicates that I am secure in who I am!! Anyone who knows me knows I have always had leadership characteristics, even during my street life. This saying that Leaders are not born but they are developed is very true. When I went to the University of Wisconsin Stout right after high school, I felt so relieved. Although, I dropped out and got in more legal trouble and went to prison, this moment of my life was such a huge stepping stone. God often takes us through a journey to strengthen our testimony in life so that it may impact others.

God spoke to me in prison and told me that my life would be what it is now. It's no secret that I am now a confident professional speaker, using my story to inspire others. This was God’s plan all along. God is funny, he basically told me “Oh you like to talk, tell jokes, and be the center of attention huh? Ok, let's take you out of the spotlight for a while and see how you adjust… can you do it while you are in prison? Can you do it for my name's sake? "True enough, my ministry started in prison. Preaching and telling anyone I can about God and his glory. I am so thankful for how God is using me. Through it all he remains merciful.