Life
Formerly Homeless Teen Helps Family Buy Home And Is Now Going To Harvard To Study Economics
Jorge Campos's family was homeless after his father lost his job. Campos took over his family's finances and helped them buy a home. Now, he has a full-ride to study economics at Harvard.
Kristi Shinfuku
06.07.17

For teen Jorge Campos, nothing ever came easy.

Campos has faced challenge after challenge in his life.

Before he entered high school, Campos’s father lost his job. As a result, his family was homeless for three months.


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ABC 7/Jorge Campos
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ABC 7/Jorge Campos

Campos never gave up, however, and he even started taking college-level classes at Los Angeles Community College. There he learned more about money management and economics.

Jorge was able to apply some of the concepts he learned in these classes to his family’s situation. According to ABC 7, Campos took over his family’s finances, and after two years, they were able to purchase a home:

“I took over my parents’ finances, under budgeting, and now two years later, we purchased our home,” Jorge said.

However, the move to Palmdale put their family 70 miles away from Campos’s school. Campos didn’t let that get in his way, and he commuted for two years to his South L.A. high school.

Campos even took part in USC’s Upward Bound Math and Science program. This federally-funded initiative helps make college accessible for low-income students and students who are first in their family to attend college.

He graduated from high school with flying colors and has great things in store for his future.

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ABC 7/Jorge Campos
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ABC 7/Jorge Campos

With the help of this program, Campos was accepted and has committed to attending Harvard University this fall to study Economics.

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LA Promise Fund
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LA Promise Fund

And even better, he has a full-ride scholarship.

According to ABC 7, Although his parents were initially hesitant for their son to attend school 3,000 miles away, Campos knows that doing so is best for his future:

“Living in the present is OK, but constantly thinking about your future is even better… It was kind of hard for (my parents) to argue against Harvard once I told them that I really wanted to go.”

Campos was recognized at a recent banquet for all students that were a part of the Upward Bound program. Campos, however, recognizes how much of a difference the Upward Bound program made in this life. According to ABC 7, Campos “credits USC for all that he has done to date, including getting a full ride to the Ivy League school.”

Upward Bound Math-Science focuses serves students who have been identified as academic achievers by giving them intensive training in science, math, and technology.

Teachers from USC, the Los Angeles Unified School District, and Los Angeles Trade-Technical College participate in the program to allow high school students to conduct research and complete internships with corporations in the area.


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ABC 7/Jorge Campos
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ABC 7/Jorge Campos

Through it all, the incredible teen has persevered and remained strong in his dedication to both his family and in his education, and he shows us what anyone and everyone can truly be capable of.

Good luck at Harvard, Jorge! We can’t wait to see what the future has in store for you.

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