St Louis Teen Walked Nearly 7 Miles to Attend Middle School Graduation

When a St.Louis teens grandfather’s car died and he found himself without transportation, 14-year-old Xavier Jones did what he had to do to get to his eighth grade graduation last month. Instead of skipping the event, the determined teen set out with his brother and best friend, walking 6.5 miles from his neighborhood in North St. Louis to Yeatman Middle School’s graduation ceremony at Harris-Stowe State University in midtown St. Louis.

Jones said he remembered the advice of his mentor “‘If I want it, I got to go get it.” When the 14-year-old arrived at the graduation, the purveyor of that advice, mentor Darren Seals, was speaking at the ceremony. Hearing that one of his students had walked two hours to be there, he paused to inform the audience. Seals said “I had to stop my speech and call him on board and was like, ‘Hey, everybody get off your feet and give him a standing ovation. They clapped for him. They were like, ‘Woah, this boy walked.’”

The President of Harris-Stowe State University, Dr. Latonia Collins Smith was also in attendance that day, and was moved by the perseverance and determination shown by Jones. She decided to offer him a “ride” to college, although considering the circumstances, this terminology confused Jones.

Recounting the conversation Seals said “She said, ‘You got a full ride,’ and I said [to Xavier], ‘Do you know what that means,’ and he said, ‘They’re going to give me a ride to school?’” Seals said. “I was like, ‘No, you’re getting a ride to college. He said, ‘Wait a minute, I don’t have to pay for college. Then it started hitting him.” Dr. Smith offered the young man the Presidential scholarship, complete with tuition and money for four years of attendance including rent and textbooks.

Jones story of walking to graduation made its rounds on social media and caught the attention of Miami Dolphins NFL player Terron Armstead, who grew up in a similar part of town to Xavier. Armstead decided to buy the family a minivan, and an electric bike for Xavier to ensure transportation options are no longer a problem. The NFL said he was happy to step in and offer help to a boy who had lost his mother some years ago, and is being raised by his grandfather. “It’s humbling, it’s motivating, it’s inspiring,” Armstead said of Jones.