I can tell you that the class of 2017, 100% of our kids
got into college.
Period.
The end.
If I ain't come to this school, I think I'd be in jail.
The scholarship afforded our scholars a loan-free education.
Ellen and Walmart definitely changed our lives.
I'm going to make it out the Hook.
He's my baby.
He's my everything.
I think my mom is the most upset.
I can't do this no more.
In a community where only 4% of the kids go to college,
students come from homes where the homes sometimes
have no food, and these kids have
overcome all kinds of things.
And all they want to do is go to college.
And we reached out to the people at Wal-Mart,
they want to give each one of you a four-year scholarship.
[SCREAMING EXCITEDLY]
I cannot wait to see in four years what these young people
are going to do.
I can't wait to see how we helped launch their lives.
I'm happy that you're going away to college.
No, I know, but you're sad at the same time.
You almost made all us pour down crying right now.
Yes, she did.
It's going to be weird going to college
because my mom does everything for me.
Who can I go to?
My mom is like four hours away, so I'm a have to do
everything on my own.
I packed everything.
I got to make sure he have everything.
She's the one doing all this.
I did all the ordering and stuff for his room.
Me.
They're spoiled kids.
I don't let them do anything.
I wash their clothes.
Everything
This is going to be a real experience, right here.
So it's going to be hard.
Yeah.
He lucky I ain't got a car.
[LAUGHTER]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Great morning, Unity East.
I know you must be wondering what
all these cameras are about.
It's about our Melick.
Don't we love him?
Yes.
[CLAPPING]
Absolutely.
We all know that Melick has received a full scholarship.
I've been going to church my whole life.
Even since I was a boy, my mother
has been taking me to church.
And I feel like they raised me.
They took me in and helped me become who I am.
Melick, we love you, we bless you, we appreciate you,
and we thank God for you.
I'm going to U Albany and I feel nervous,
but I feel excited at the same time.
So it's like, all right, so I'm about to be on my own, right?
But at the same time, like you're about to be on your own
and make your own decisions.
All right?
I'm not going to have my mother there telling me, Melick, you
got to do your laundry.
Bin is getting filled, your clothes are getting stinky.
Everyone here has helped mold me into becoming
the man I'm becoming.
I want to thank the church of course, the Reverend,
for always giving me those inspirational words when
needed.
Good afternoon.
Is this mom?
Yes, that is my mom.
Hi Mom.
C'mon in, c'mon in, the room.
Beautiful.
Don't be scared of me.
Yes.
How excited are you for him to go to college?
Very excited.
Can't be more excited than that.
Are you breathing hard?
Are you like, walking fast?
Yes.
[LAUGHING]
I love Ellen's show.
I watch Ellen all the time.
And I want to thank Ellen, and Walmart
for giving my son a chance to go to college.
I can't find him--
Are you crying?
Aww, bendito.
It's OK.
Out of five kids, that's my second one
that's going to college.
And I know he's going to make me proud,
because once he make up his mind, he goes for it.
So I'm with him all the way.
Because I know he will make me proud.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
You taking all this to college?
Yeah, those are all my shoes.
How many bags are you taking?
Huh?
How many bags?
Just two maletas and that.
I mean, two suitcases.
I knew that.
But yeah, it's just jeans and winter clothes.
And that's all I'm bringing because I don't really
need this summer stuff.
Yeah, basically like wintry stuff, yeah.
Yeah.
All of this is like thick sweaters,
or like, little long sleeve shirts.
Because it's going to get cold.
I know.
We met in sixth grade, but like, we
became like best, best friends in eighth grade.
We both compliment each other.
We're both goofy.
We could be goofy, and then like--
I don't know.
[LAUGHING]
It's like, we like some of the same things, but then like,
we're different enough to like--
Yeah.
You know how opposites attract, but they
have to be somewhat alike?
I feel like it's definitely a larger campus, and a larger
group of people--
Yeah.
--like we're working with.
Yeah, we're not going to know everybody.
So, it's like, a lot of unfamiliar faces.
Yeah, like at summer, we was like the big fish
in a little pond.
Now we're like, little fish in a big pond.
It's going to be different.
Their friendship is unbreakable they stayed together,
and so you saw them growing together.
You saw them excelling together.
They competed against each other for valedictorian salutatorian.
If I could take my best friend to college,
I would have been in heaven.
No, I'm scared of those lecture halls.
Where it's like a whole group of us.
Yeah.
Like all those kids in one room.
I think they're going to hold each other accountable.
So I'm super, super excited that they're
going to be together because they push each other here,
and I know they're going to push each other in college.
I want to get to know a lot of people.
Like not a lot, a lot, where I become like mixxy, but like,
you know?
[LAUGHING]
Mixxy.
A good amount.
I want to get to know the football players
and the basketball players.
You know those be the cutest ones.
Mhm.
[LAUGHTER]
Mhm.
What boys do you gossip about?
[LAUGHTER]
I'mma just be honest.
We talk about Melick.
Yeah, Melick.
Yeah.
That's my friend.
Nyasha's like my BFF.
But he lying.
Because he know he not my friend.
She's so tiny.
No.
We friends, we friends, we friends.
Yeah, we're friends.
Give or take.
[LAUGHING]
Yeah, he's in my building.
He's like-- I think he may be on the same floor.
Maybe.
So you know, I'm a go see him, sometimes.
[LAUGHTER]
Sometimes?
Yeah, why not?
Sometimes.
Is that a thing like for most of the time?
[LAUGHING]
No, not most of the time.
Code for most of the time.
Sometimes.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Yeah, I'm pulling up.
Yeah.
I'm a be in the front row.
C'mon Melick.
[CLAPPING]
Ayy, come out.
But you got to pay for my bus ticket, though.
Bus ticket's like $1.
Sometimes like a dollar, bro.
Oh, word?
Melick is special because he didn't
come through our middle school.
Melick came to us in 11th grade, so we only
had Melick for two years.
And in that time, we've grown to love him as if we've
known him his whole life.
Go 'Lick, go!
You want me to go now?
Before Melick came, the basketball team was horrible.
I'm just going keep it real.
I didn't go to none of the games.
Like, I was like, oh yeah, they're wack.
But like once Melick came, I was in the game.
I was screaming for like, my friend.
I was like, yeah Melick, you got this.
And you know, we won a lot of games because of him.
It cost me like $1 every time, but it was worth going.
All from high school basketball, to college basketball,
it's a lot more competition.
A lot more bigger guys, a lot more faster guys,
a lot more stronger guys, and a lot more smarter guys
to play against.
If I don't make the team, I always
said I was going to keep working out.
Keep trying my best.
Basketball is something I love to do.
And I was told, you know, if it doesn't work out with Albany,
there's other schools, but right right
now, I want to focus on trying to make the team for Albany
by working as hard as I can to get there.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Quincy, man--
Stop, you're making me emotional.
OK, I want to see you cry.
I'm not crying.
OK, bro.
Why?
Nope.
I'm not going to cry.
I lived across the street from Nyasha for about four years.
We've been through so much.
There was times where my grandma wouldn't be home,
there would be no one in my house,
I would go across the street to her house.
I couldn't ask for a better friend than her, you know.
It's going to be hard to say goodbye to her.
Quincy.
Can you-- [CRYING] Quincy, I don't want you to go.
Please don't cry.
I don't want you to--
Stop.
Do you want to to to college?
You could stay here.
Yes.
Stop.
Don't cry.
I don't want you to leave, Quincy.
Everybody has to go.
All right, let's go like, to McDonald's right quick.
We can't.
We have to stop.
Serious?
Listen, just make friends, have a good time, stay focused.
I love you.
I love you too.
I'll text you everyday.
We'll FaceTime, you'll help me with my homework.
I'm not going to see you in class.
I know.
Losing our steam together.
Falling asleep in class.
[LAUGHTER]
It's going to be all right.
Quince.
[LAUGHTER]
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[SIGHING]