Success Stories

"I have learnt that success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome while trying to succeed."

-Booker T. Washington

Adrian King

My name is Adrian King and while I was attending Clifton Middle School in the Houston Independent School District I began to hang out with the wrong group of kids. My grades began to slip and I began getting in trouble in and out of school. My future looked bleak. My mother decided to pull me out of that school and put me in to a more private setting.

I thank God for Citywide Outreach Ministry and Dr. Mary L. Johnson. I began attending the Learning Center in 7th grade and continued through the 12th grade. While there, not only did my grades improve drastically, but so did my attitude about life. New talents began to surface under Dr. Johnson's leadership. I can now play the keyboard, which has allowed me to play for my church. While in my 12th grade year, I completed the GED program. I took the test and passed with high scores. I am now continuing my education with the United States Army. I am stationed at Fort Briggs in North Carolina; where I plan to obtain my degree in Engineering.

Tia Morris

Tiandra "Tia" Morris, eight years of age, is an advanced third grader at Nitsch Elementary in the Klein Forest School District. She began tutoring sessions under Dr. Mary Lee Johnson five years ago at the Citywide Outreach Learning Center. In Tia's words, "I think it's fun…we get to play games." Today, she is a confident straight-A student, who doesn't hesitate to raise her hand to answer questions. Although she receives tutoring five days per week in multiple subjects (reading, writing, and spelling), math is her favorite. Spelling is a close second, as she is looking forward to her class's upcoming spelling bee. Tia and Dr. Johnson have a special relationship, something quite common among students at the Citywide Outreach Learning Center.