In the fall of 2012, 18-year-old David Boone will start his stint at Harvard University. The path to success has not been easy for the young teen who slept on park benches a few years ago.

Boone grew up in a gang-filled neighborhood in Cleveland. When he was 14, their family home was destroyed by gang members after Boone refused to join them. Raised by a single mom on a limited income, Boone’s family  couldn’t afford a new home and were forced to live in the streets.

Jeff McClellan, principal at Cleveland’s MC2STEM High School, admired Boone and offered him a place to stay.

Friends did their best to help Boone, including principal Jeff McClellan. “Here’s a kid who’s doing everything in his power to get where he wants to go, and we had the available resources to provide a little additional support,” McClellan recounted.

“All of these life lessons have shaped me into who I am, transforming my dreams and aspirations and allowing me to free myself from what was becoming an unproductive environment,” Boone explained.

All of his hard work finally paid off when Boone was accepted to all the top colleges, including Yale, Princeton, Cornell, and Harvard. Boone picked Harvard where he’ll be attending this fall on a full scholarship.

“We’ve been through a lot as a family,” Boone’s mom Moneeke Davis proudly said. “He’s so focused, so driven and so humble.”

Watch more of Boone’s story below.