For days, Hunter Mollett had little to eat but he insisted on heading to Enterprise High School in Mississippi. He never complained; he'd simply do his work, hang about with friends and attend band practice. Finally, after four days, Hunter's mom found some peas and cornmeal and made a meal for them.
In high school, Mollett experienced various degrees of homelessness. However, as one of the smartest students in his grade, when struggling to find stable housing, he also wanted to attend Harvard University.
Jackie Lewis first learned of his dream when she met him in her ninth-grade algebra class. "He told me he was going to Harvard," she said, "but I was unsure if he was going to make it." However, after having Mollett in class, Lewis changed her views on his chances in the Ivy League.
Mollett first decided on Harvard when he was in Grade One when he was watching Boston Legal with his mother. He asked her how the characters became lawyers. She said they went to Harvard. Though he didn't know if she was just joking, Mollett decided that was where he wanted to go.
When Mollett's teachers learned of his unstable housing, they started helping when they could. If Mollett needed some books, a teacher would buy them for him. If he needed a ride, someone would take him. Meanwhile, Mollett worked hard toward his goal of becoming a lawyer. He took his tests and started applying to colleges, including Mississippi State University and Harvard.
Soon he learned Mississippi State University accepted him and offered him a full scholarship. Then he got an e-mail about financial aid at Harvard even before his university acceptance letter. He felt bewildered.
"I sat there for 16 minutes just staring at my phone. I couldn't believe I got in." Mollett said.
