Latest news with #FletcherHighSchool
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Jacksonville teen escapes abuse and homelessness to graduate high school
One Jacksonville teen went from being homeless to a high school graduate, escaping abuse and rebuilding her life along the way. Thanks to the helping hands of a local program, the teen found safe housing and is now back in school, working, and planning for college. At just 18, Juliana Alcantara—who goes by Jay—has already faced more than most her age. 'I was with my mom at the time, and it was just like a bit of unstable housing due to substance abuse and such, and the safest option for me was to come and stay with my brother,' Jay said. After fleeing abuse between the ages of 15 and 16, Jay moved to Jacksonville seeking safety. For a while, she found it living with her brother—until he returned to South Carolina, the very place she was trying to escape. 'And go back there I feel like in a having to relive it even more,' she said. >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] With nowhere else to turn, Jay found Daniel's Project Prepare at the age of 17—a local program that offers housing, life skills, and support to homeless and at-risk youth. She moved into the Independent Living Village last year, and everything began to change. 'Within like the short span. I'm now here and I have my own job and I can find my own transportation and I've been able to take up like a lot more responsibilities,' Jay said. Now at age 18, Jay graduated just last week from Fletcher High School. 'Once I was getting towards the end of school, like wow, I'm actually gonna graduate, and then like a couple days later it was like actually happening,' she said. She's now working part-time and looking ahead to college, with dreams of becoming a cosmetologist—or even a firefighter. 'And we are proud of her because she did it,' said Daniel Kids Program Director Carmella Prescott. Prescott said she's seen hundreds of teens in similar or worse situations than Jay over the past six years. '500 to 600 kids, most of them being successful, we're usually the 90% success rate because we're so intense,' she said. Nationally, more than one in four people experiencing homelessness are under age 25. 19% are children under 18, and 8% are young adults between 18 and 24, according to the 2024 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report. Jay said to always trust the timing of things—because she believes you'll always end up at the destination where you want to be. SHARE PHOTOS OF GRADUATES IN YOUR LIFE: [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]
USA Today
21-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Iowa football adds to 2026 recruiting class with Florida WR commit
Iowa football adds to 2026 recruiting class with Florida WR commit Iowa football added to its 2026 recruiting class on Sunday, grabbing a commitment from Florida wide receiver Diondre Smith. The 5-foot-11, 165 pound receiver from Fletcher High School in Neptune Beach, Fla., announced his pledge to the Hawkeyes on Sunday morning. Smith is ranked as a three-star commit, as the 157th-ranked wide receiver and as the No. 116 player from Florida in the 2026 class per On3. In addition to Iowa, Smith also held offers from schools such as Indiana, Louisville, Maryland, Miami, Michigan State, Pittsburgh, Tulane and UCF. Smith caught 39 passes for 473 yards with six touchdown grabs last season with Fletcher. The Sunshine State product also totaled 263 return yards and a touchdown last season. During his sophomore campaign, Smith reeled in 18 catches for 422 yards and three scores. Smith is the eighth Iowa commit in the Hawkeyes' 2026 class and joins a group that also features offensive linemen Carson Nielsen, Owen Linder, Hudson Parliament and Colin Whitters, quarterback Cash Herrera, defensive back Marcello Vitti and wide receiver Brody Schaffer. Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes and opinions. Follow Josh on X: @JoshOnREF
