A Texas teenager, born in Galveston County Jail, is bound for Harvard after graduating high school summa cum laude and showing great potential. The 18-year-old from Montgomery County, Aurora Sky Castner, was among the top of her class at Conroe High School as she closed the chapter during the graduation ceremony last week.
The student is headed for a new adventure as she’s looking forward to attending Harvard Law School on a full scholarship—a goal she set back in elementary school. Since her mother was incarcerated, Sky grew up with her dad as a single parent; however, throughout the years since her childhood, she was supported by her mentor, Mona Hamby.
After graduating at the top of her class, Sky is bound for Harvard Law School in the fall
Image credits: ACADEMY FOR SCIENCE & HEALTH, CONROE ISD
Image credits: Daniel Hartwig
With hard work and support from her mentor, Mona Hamby, Sky reached the goal she had set years ago
Image credits: Facebook
Getting into Harvard was something Sky Castner had been dreaming about since she was in elementary school. And even though getting into an ivy league university is challenging at best, fueled by hard work and determination, the young woman excelled in academics was able to reach her dream. However, until that point, she had to conquer certain hardships in life.
Sky didn’t have an easy childhood, as she was raised in a single parent home and reportedly had to overcome poverty. Her mother was incarcerated in Galveston County Jail, where Castner was born and picked up by her father, according to the Houston Chronicle.
Growing up, Sky did have a guardian angel—a mentor named Mona Hamby, who was part of the CISD’s Project Mentor program. Connecting community members with Conroe Independent School District students, it led Mona to Sky, which became the start of a beautiful long-lasting companionship.
“I was given a paper about her. Her hero was Rosa Parks, her favorite food was tacos from Dairy Queen and she loved to read. I thought this sounds like a bright little girl,” Hamby told the Houston Chronicle. The mentor was there for Sky on all sorts of occasions, from getting glasses to touring the Harvard campus.
Image credits: Facebook
Image credits: Facebook
Sky was supported by her long-term mentor, Mona Hamby
Image credits: MCCFoundation TX
Image credits: MCCFoundation TX
Getting into Harvard takes more than just impeccable grades
According to Times Higher Education’s 2023 data, Harvard University ranks second out of nearly 1,800 universities across 104 countries. Considering such rankings, it’s no surprise that the competition is fierce and the admission process is no walk in the park either. LSD pointed out that out of 9,933 applicants last year (2022), only 685 were offered admission.
The prospect of getting into Harvard Law School is based on the candidate’s past accomplishments and future promise. As stated in the school’s standards of admission, the candidate should “demonstrate potential for success in law school through an exceptional undergraduate academic record, standardized test scores in the top percentiles, and substantial accomplishments in work or extracurricular activities”. It also pointed out that the assessment includes weighing intangible qualities such as a sense of leadership, ambition, ability to overcome adversity, high ideals, and concern for the welfare of others, among other things.
Sky Castner graduated as top three in Conroe High School’s class of 2023. She told the Houston Chronicle that, “There was something satisfying about having all As and having that accomplishment,” adding that grades meant a lot to her. Over the course of her years in school, Sky has won a drug awareness speech contest hosted by the Conroe Noon Lions Club, as well as taken part in The Academy for Health and Science Professions at Conroe High School.
All of her academic achievements, together with other significant accomplishments and personality traits led to the graduate being accepted into her dream school, where she will start a new exciting chapter of her life.
People were generous with kind and encouraging words for the graduate
A bit dystopian... Born in prison and apparently no good guidance from the government. Everyone, no matter their background, should be able to go to good schools. Imo that is the governments job, to provide equal opportunities for a good education for everyone. That she is born in prison is entirely irrelevant to the story. (Unless she was raised there?) Coming from a broken home with a parent with a mental illness/disorder is a bit more relevant. But if this is such big news, the system is broken. There are plenty of children in broken homes. Is it expected that they won't go to a good school, or fail?
Plenty of people go to good schools and still fail. The reason this young lady succeeded is because she had someone in her life who supported her, encouraged her, helped her succeed despite the difficulty she faced. Her mentor deserves a lot of credit. It is not the government's job to raise a child. It won't be the government that determines whether or it a child succeeds. Successful children need invested, nurturing parental figures.
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I wish her good luck and hope she can be an inspiration to all!!
I don't get it ... Harvard Law School accepted her directly out of high school? This article doesn't make any sense.
All it takes is having one person who encourages you to keep doing all the work it takes to succeed, and tune out all the naysayers. Misery loves company, and if it can’t find any, it makes some—-by making someone who’s on track to succeed feel bad about themself and give up. One positive voice breaking through all the negativity can make an amazing difference. Kids aren’t always just like their parents, and should never be judged by, and both pigeonholed and put in the school to prison pipeline for, their parents’ mistakes, missteps, and misdeeds.
This proves that a child’s success isn’t dependent on the way it was raised, the school it went to, the view from their kitchen window or the price of their shoes. One day people might cease to automatically blame parents when a kid turns out bad. My daughter went to a private boarding school (her choice), the yearly fees were more than many peoples salaries. She dropped out at 16. I wish she’d had the determination that this girl had. She certainly had every opportunity to be a success, I made sure she did. But in the end it’s the kids choice.
A bit dystopian... Born in prison and apparently no good guidance from the government. Everyone, no matter their background, should be able to go to good schools. Imo that is the governments job, to provide equal opportunities for a good education for everyone. That she is born in prison is entirely irrelevant to the story. (Unless she was raised there?) Coming from a broken home with a parent with a mental illness/disorder is a bit more relevant. But if this is such big news, the system is broken. There are plenty of children in broken homes. Is it expected that they won't go to a good school, or fail?
Plenty of people go to good schools and still fail. The reason this young lady succeeded is because she had someone in her life who supported her, encouraged her, helped her succeed despite the difficulty she faced. Her mentor deserves a lot of credit. It is not the government's job to raise a child. It won't be the government that determines whether or it a child succeeds. Successful children need invested, nurturing parental figures.
Load More Replies... I wish her good luck and hope she can be an inspiration to all!!
I don't get it ... Harvard Law School accepted her directly out of high school? This article doesn't make any sense.
All it takes is having one person who encourages you to keep doing all the work it takes to succeed, and tune out all the naysayers. Misery loves company, and if it can’t find any, it makes some—-by making someone who’s on track to succeed feel bad about themself and give up. One positive voice breaking through all the negativity can make an amazing difference. Kids aren’t always just like their parents, and should never be judged by, and both pigeonholed and put in the school to prison pipeline for, their parents’ mistakes, missteps, and misdeeds.
This proves that a child’s success isn’t dependent on the way it was raised, the school it went to, the view from their kitchen window or the price of their shoes. One day people might cease to automatically blame parents when a kid turns out bad. My daughter went to a private boarding school (her choice), the yearly fees were more than many peoples salaries. She dropped out at 16. I wish she’d had the determination that this girl had. She certainly had every opportunity to be a success, I made sure she did. But in the end it’s the kids choice.
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