This past weekend, I had the pleasure of attending my nephew's eighth grade graduation.  I can't even begin to describe to you guys how proud I was of his accomplishment.  You see, his academic road has not been an easy one and, as a result, reaching this milestone is even more significant.  As I sat proudly in the audience, I couldn't help thinking how this rite of passage was indicative of all of his hard work and determination.     Let me tell you a little about my nephew…  He is the oldest of three siblings who are being raised by a single mother, my sister.  Although she works very hard to provide her three boys with everything that they need, the reality is that she struggles to make ends meet financially.  With very little help from his father, she has had to step into both the mother and the father role for her boys.     During this academic year, my nephew has struggled with bringing up some failing grades and the competition that exists in middle school to have … [Read more...]