Home » Youtube - EVERY STUDENT SUCCEEDING » From Prison to Graduation - 20 Years Later, He’s Just Getting Started

From Prison to Graduation - 20 Years Later, He’s Just Getting Started

August 8, 2017

Rodney Lacanienta will be the first to tell you that growing up, he made some bad choices. After years of bouncing in and out of prison and struggling with addiction, Rodney finally found his way with the help of his family and the committed educators at Poway Adult School in the Poway Unified School District in San Diego. He faced his fears and never missed a day of school, becoming more active in his church and acting as a role model to fellow students. Rodney graduated high school this month and is moving on to his next effort, earning an advanced degree in theology at Calvary Chapel Bible College in Murietta, CA. Longtime ACSA members Kathleen Porter, Teresa Palzkill, and Adult Education Committee member Pam Garramone all worked together as a team to provide support to the Poway Adult School, Rodney’s gateway to a fresh start and a new life. “It doesn’t matter how far gone you are,” Rodney said. “You can always pick up the pieces and succeed if you want to. It’s not going to be easy. I can tell you that. But if you want it, you can have it.”

Previous Video

Maria’s Mission: Change the World, One Person at a Time

Maria’s first commitment is to service. Her second… to social justice. Maria was born in Salvatierra Guanaj...

Next Video

Brain Injury Survivor Finds Her Voice in Choir Class

Jessica and her twin brother were born premature at just 30 weeks when Jessica was diagnosed with periventr...

From Prison to Graduation - 20 Years Later, He’s Just Getting Started

Previous Video

Next Video

Related Content

Jacqueline has known the stares and whispers her entire life. She was born with lymphatic malformations, a rare condition that formed large masses in her cheeks, tongue, and chest. She underwent multi

Rodrigo Portillo has had more responsibilities than many teenagers. His parents were born in Mexico but immigrated to the United States in hopes of providing a better life for their children. Rodrigo

Youth poet Jatia Raymond is a voice for young women everywhere who understand strength and survival at an early age. When Jatia was just six years old, her father died of a brain tumor. She moved in

When Jatia was just six years old, her father died of a brain tumor. She moved in with her aunt to what she thought was a safer environment but she became a victim of human trafficking. After years of

Christian Lopez grew up in Cuscatancingo, El Salvador, home to the infamous 18th Street Gang. El Salvador has a murder rate that is 22 times that of the United States. In 2014, Christian’s mom arrange

Viviana grew up in Tecoman, Colima, Mexico, and immigrated to the United States when she was five years old. She is a caregiver to her younger siblings and a shining example for them of what it means

Viviana grew up in Tecoman, Colima in Mexico, and immigrated to the United States when she was five years old. She is a caregiver to her younger siblings and a shining example for them of what it mean

Chris entered the Merced County Office of Education Sierra Program, a place for students with behavioral issues and conduct disorders, at the end of his fifth-grade year. After his father left the fam

The man Destiny affectionately calls “Papa”, her grandfather, stepped up and took over as her caretaker after a rocky start to her life. When he was diagnosed with cancer, her world fell apart. Both h

David Jasuan was born in Myanmar to a Christian missionary. As a result of government persecution, David and his family were forced to escape the country. They crossed the border from Myanmar to Thail

In infancy, Richard’s grandparents took him from his parents, both addicts, and raised him as their own. When they died while Richard was still young, depression became yet another battle he had to fi

Maria’s first commitment is to service. Her second… to social justice. Maria was born in Salvatierra Guanajuato, Mexico. While her father served as a migrant worker in the United States, Maria grew up

Jessica and her twin brother were born premature at just 30 weeks when Jessica was diagnosed with periventricular leukomalacia, a brain injury that affects development. She spent years in and out of h

Victor never liked school…that is until he found himself at David Stine Chaffey West run by the San Bernadino County Office of Education. The school is a community day school that helps at-risk and be

A lifelong Harry Potter fan, Linda Rand is now an avid reader who started at Balboa Middle School as a 6th grader after moving from the United Arab Emirates speaking almost no English. With help from

Adrian is known at his school as the boy who always has a warm smile and heart full of sweetness and love. Diagnosed with Hydronephrosis, he has endured multiple surgeries throughout his young life. H

Nathalie Uribe was raised by her grandmother with love and support in the small town of California City. When she arrived home from a sporting event and found that she had passed away, her world fell

It only took one Facebook post to change the life of 17-year-old Cameroon native Jespa Awomah. Jespa was severely burned at 10 months old when he fell into an open cooking fire in his family’s home. H

When Nicky Macchiavello was 17, a motorcycle accident at a motocross track changed his life forever. The HS varsity soccer player crashed and suffered a traumatic brain injury, landing him in a medica

WE’RE HONORED TO BRING YOU THE STORIES OF 21 STUDENTS WHO FOUGHT TIRELESSLY TO GET TO WHERE THEY ARE TODAY… AND WHO SHOWCASE THE VERY BEST OF CALIFORNIA PUBLIC SCHOOLS. Subscribe today to www.youtube