PHOTO – Teen Born in Jail Will Attend Harvard University: ‘Resilience Knows No Bounds’

A graduate of Conroe High School in Texas is making community members and her loved ones proud after her humble beginnings.

Eighteen-year-old Sky Castner was born in the Galveston County Jail while her mother was incarcerated, the Courier of Montgomery County reported Thursday.

Her father later came to get her and took her home to raise on his own. All these years later, the young woman graduated third in her class and a few months from now will attend Harvard University to study law.

Becoming a student there has been a dream of Sky’s for a long time. Throughout her educational career, “There was something satisfying about having all As and having that accomplishment. Grades just meant a lot to me,” she explained.

Her mentor, Mona Hamby, walked with her through many firsts as the years went by while other community leaders also helped the girl with things such as attending summer camps.

Castner noted, “Everything that Mona taught me was very valuable in the same way that everything that I went through before Mona was very valuable.”

The pair connected over the fact neither of them grew up with a mother. Castner has spoken to her mom only once, when she was a younger teenager.

Despite her life’s challenges, she has pushed through to achieve her goals and got accepted to Harvard in December.

According to the president of the Conroe Noon Lions Club, Warner Phelps, members have known her since she was a child. In 2022, she won a drug awareness speech contest the group hosted, where she spoke on the fentanyl crisis plaguing the nation.

She was presented with a $2,000 scholarship, and Phelps said, “She earned it.”

Social media users were quick to share their joy at the young woman’s educational plan, one person calling it “inspirational.”

“A Texas girl’s inspiring journey reminds us that resilience knows no bounds. Congratulations on your remarkable achievement!” another commented.

Castner has long been involved with the Academy for Health and Science Professions at Conroe High School, which encouraged her to work hard toward her dreams.

Harvard University was founded on September 8, 1636, and is described as “The first college in the American colonies,” according to its website.