AMERICA |After years of battling homelessness and hardship, a determined 20-year-old boy named Lijyon DeSilva graduated from Margaret Lee High School in Houston with an impressive 3.67 grade point average.
His achievement earned him a full scholarship to study at Carleton College in Minnesota, United States, through the prestigious Posse Foundation.
Liyjon’s story is one of survival, faith, and unshakable determination.
Lijyon's Story and How he Did It
His life took a difficult turn at just five years old when he lost his mother. Growing up in poverty, he moved between relatives, struggling to find stability or love.
When he turned 14, his father sent him to live briefly in Africa, as he was unwilling to care for him. But when his visa expired, Liyjon had to return to Houston, where he stayed with his cousins, only to be forced out again when he questioned how they used his earnings.
“When I started asking where my money was going, they got angry and called me disrespectful. They kicked me out. I just wanted money for food and clothes. Everything I had was old and worn out,” he recalled.
At 15, Liyjon found himself homeless, sleeping in parks, under trees, and in empty parking lots.
“I wanted to live like a normal kid, but I ended up sleeping in parks. My favorite spot was parking lots because I could see the stars,” he said.
Despite his situation, he refused to give up on school. For years, no one knew that Liyjon had no home. He continued to attend classes, completing assignments by day and finding shelter wherever he could at night.
His life began to change when Jessica Smith, a project manager at the nonprofit Communities in Schools, noticed something was wrong. She reached out to him repeatedly — but at first, Liyjon didn’t trust her.
“I thought she was with the school, trying to ask why I had missing documents, but she kept chasing me, just trying to help. Once I finally opened up to her, things started to change for the better,” he said.
With Jessica’s help and the unwavering support of his Principal, Jonathan Trinh, and teachers, Liyjon was given a chance to focus on his education. Principal Trinh personally paid for him to stay in a hotel for a month, while Jessica used her social media network to find him a permanent place to live.
Once he had a safe home, everything changed. Liyjon threw himself into his studies, working tirelessly to make up for lost time.
His perseverance paid off. He graduated among the top 5 students in his class and secured a full scholarship from the Posse Foundation, covering tuition, accommodation, and living expenses at Carleton College.
“With my type of life, I thought I would die,” he said. “But I wasn’t going to let my situation hold me back. Once I won the scholarship, I truly realized I could do this. My impossible turned into ‘I’m possible.’”
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