A+ for effort: Feet on the streets, nose in the books

Two years ago, Ambrose Achua was sleeping in homeless shelters, friends' places and even vacant homes. At times, the only shower available to him was in his high school locker room, where he'd go before classes.

Fast-forward to the present. After a hot shower in his own apartment Thursday, Ambrose walked across the stage at Northrop Auditorium and accepted a diploma as a graduate of Minneapolis South High School.

No family members were expected to be there to clap for him. That's because he left his home and family when he was 16. He is among the growing number of students who are homeless or lack stable housing -- the Minneapolis School District counted 4,384 such students as of March 31.

Not having a home presents obvious obstacles to graduating. Yet Ambrose's path from living on the streets of Minneapolis to graduating with the class of 2009 shows what can be accomplished with a strong drive to succeed and some timely help.

"People think I would be a lost soul because of all of the stuff I went through," Ambrose said. "But whatever the past was, I'm not letting it determine my future."

'I knew I wouldn't make it' at home

Ambrose, a muscular 18-year-old whose thick eyelashes frame pensive brown eyes, left his family in Des Moines about two years ago, after what he described as a heated argument with his mother.

"I left because there was this pain," Ambrose said. "I knew I wouldn't make it there."

After staying with relatives in Ames, Iowa, he caught a ride in a church van headed to the Mall of America. He wanted to get back to Minneapolis, where he had lived with his sister and attended Washburn High School during his sophomore year. It was summer, and he wanted to play football for Washburn in the fall.

Once in Minneapolis, he spent several weeks in the home of his friend and Washburn classmate Shane Bonner. It was the first in a string of temporary homes. When he couldn't find a friend whose parents didn't mind putting him up for a while, he went to youth shelters and even stayed sometimes in vacant houses.

He said he didn't try to stay with his sister again because they didn't get along. He found a job at a grocery store to pay for food, toiletries and school clothes.

He said no one noticed, initially, that he was homeless, because he worked hard to fit in and traveled light. If someone asked too many questions, he moved on.

A fateful outburst

Playing football, he met volunteer coach Tom Harrison, who would become a major positive force in his life.

But, at times the secret Ambrose carried, along, perhaps, with other things he carried, led to a short temper. He sometimes fought with other students and argued with teachers.

Sheri Harris, a South High social worker who later got to know Ambrose, said it's fairly typical for kids who flee difficult home environments to struggle with their emotions as they try to understand what happened to them and what it will take to heal.

"Sometimes it's anger, sometimes it's grief," she said. "It's an invisible suitcase, but it's a heavy suitcase."

"I admit I was getting upset at first because I thought he was playing games," Ard said. "But when I saw that he was serious, I kicked into a father-like role. His attitude changed once he saw that I was sincere."

Ambrose eventually agreed to allow Ard to contact Micky Henry, a Hennepin County social worker. Ard had to assure and reassure Ambrose that he could trust her. "It takes him awhile to warm up to people," Ard said. "He once said, 'Everyone's given up on me, but it's going to make me stronger.'"

Henry helped Ambrose find temporary housing and medical assistance. After more than six months, Ambrose moved into an apartment in a building that caters to homeless youth. He has lived there for about a year and works 25 to 30 hours a week at a restaurant in south Minneapolis. He has sometimes struggled to manage bills and pay for food, but he has made it work.

"You've got to give it to him," Henry said. "He's an ambitious kid."

Still there were struggles. Ambrose got into another fight at Washburn near the beginning of this school year and was sent to an alternative program for 30 days. At the urging of district social workers, he transferred to South, where he finished his senior year.

On a recent afternoon, Ambrose strolled through South High's cafeteria and stopped frequently to receive hugs from girls and shake hands with other boys. Still, most students and staff members were clueless about his life.

Ambrose works hard to keep it that way. He doesn't want pity.

'Like I was blessed'

Harrison, the volunteer coach at Washburn, marvels when he thinks about Ambrose's path to graduation.

"I'm the father of two young boys who might not make it to school every day if left to their own devices," Harrison said. "And here's Ambrose, living in a vacant building, working a job to support himself and still going to school. It's incredible."

"I'm more excited for him than I can even say," Harrison said. "He's done the work, and he's the one who decided to turn things around, and it's all to his great credit."

Ambrose said he hopes eventually to attend the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. He said he's determined to keep moving forward.

"I feel like I was blessed," Ambrose said. "It wasn't difficult for me to make the choices I've made. I've met people who cared and helped me along the way."