Jaylen Kelley walks down the halls of Jefferson often thinking about what his next meal will be. Kelley isn't a fan of the school food and often seeks healthier options. But he has good reason to be concerned with his diet because this year Kelley is an all-star starter on Jefferson's basketball and football team. As a junior, this is the first-year Kelley has been eligible to play sports. He needs all the energy he can get on and off the court.

Things haven't been easy for seventeen-year-old who admits he almost dropped out of school this year. He says that hanging around with the wrong people and being reluctant to ask for help with his classwork left him struggling and angry in the classroom. Quickly he fell behind to the point where he almost gave up.

But those weren't the only issues distracting Kelley since he began attending Jefferson. In 2015 Kelley was an incoming freshman at Jefferson who experienced two different riots just within weeks of beginning school.

Current Principal Agustin Gonzalez says the riots began because of conflicts, possibly gang related activity, inside the school. Those issues trickled outside the school and adults from outside the school began showing up at Jefferson and intensified the fighting.

Fights broke out all over the school and more than 100 students were involved. Numerous students suffered injuries and tried to flee the melee. Students claim that the brawl initiated over racial tension in the school. After the riots ended with 9 students expelled and 25 students and their families deciding to leave Jefferson.

Kelley says he's working hard on his academics but his success wouldn't be possible without the support of the staff and teachers. Asking for help was something that he struggled with and would often Kelley would be left frustrated from receiving half credit on assignments.

Kelley mentions one teacher in particular who helped him turn his frustrations into finished assignments. Grateful for Ms. Turner, a Language Arts Instructor, Kelley says without her, "I would never (have) been right here right now."

Kelley is set to graduate in 2020 and looks forward to walking the stage, something his mother didn't get the chance to do.

"She graduated, but she said she didn't feel like she graduated because she had me in high school and she didn't walk the stage," says Kelley

Running to class, practice and games is Kelley's new life now. He has his eyes set on college and says he is working his hardest to get back on track. His advice for striving high school athletes is don't ever turn in any assignments late, "do it when it's due," says Kelley. He also says it doesn't hurt to also always be on your teacher's good side.