"Leaving Anacostia" 

Wow this brings tears to my eyes. I know how DC is and for him to be accomplishing so much, I’m proud. I’m excited for his future, he is a smart man. God bless!

This is so inspirational. My mother is from Oxon Hill, Maryland. Her and my father left because of the murder rate getting so high in DC at the time. I commend this young man for striving to do better and keeping faith. This truly made me shed tears. I pray God continues to watch over this man and he continues to succeed in life. Much love from NE, NC. 🙌🏼

I am a born and raised Washingtonian ! And seeing this documentary touched my heart. I love to see positive strong black young youth. Makes me believe there is hope

I lived in D.C. for 2 years, we need more people who care like his swim coach. Great story, God bless.

Keep going JaQuan. I know you can do it man. Me, I fucked up in life. 20 years old, picked a college that's 10 minutes away from DC, still live with parents, grades are not good enough for my end goal. I ain't got a future. My life is fucked beyond repair. But you, you did it man. You broke out of your comfort zone, you branched out. You gonna make a name for yourself. I know you are going to man. Don't be like me bruh. Thru out elementary, middle, high, and even today in college I waste time for a living. I never get shit done, and when I do, it's never good enough to anyone. This video is definitely a motivation tho. Seeing JaQuan what he went thru in life definitely tells me I gotta push harder and stay focused. Cuz I get distracted too easily and give my time to too many people that don't deserve it.

From one Anacostian grad to another. Keep pressing forward young brother. The blessings keep coming. From the class 0f 1985.

Kudos of course to JaQuan and his devoted teacher, Isabelle (and her mom!). Kudos also to ABC7 for this deeper look at a young life in Anacostia. Just two thoughts though: (1) Why title it "Leaving Anacostia?" The implication seems to be that in order to do better for one's self, one has to leave Anacostia. Would be great for ABC7 to also do stories of people improving Anacostia, so one doesn't have to leave to progress. (2) Isn't it sad that any kid has to have a gofundme page to pay for college? If a student graduates high school with, say a 3.2 GPA, tuition to at least community college should be free. If we can pay billions for weapons and wars abroad, we can surely pay billions for free community college.

JaQuan is such an inspiration and this story made me cry. I don’t know JaQuan, but I’m so incredibly proud of him. What an amazing young man all of his accomplishments are truly amazing. He’s truly gifted in many areas and I believe that if he keeps on the right path he will achieve great things. There needs to be more teacher like Isabelle Potts. It’s so sad to hear that the school administration/board/district wasn’t behind her the way they should have been. Such a caring and helpful educator who is willing to go the extra mile in order for her students to succeed is a rarity these days and teachers like her need support from the administration so they in turn can support and uplift the students. As she said, she would’ve liked to have helped more kids, but without the support she got burned out. In my opinion the administration is complicit in not helping to end the cycle of poverty and institutional racism. I know it’s a complicated issue and there’s so much more to it than just the school district (lack of government funding for schools in areas such as Anacostia, etc ), but it’s sad they did nothing to help retain such a wonderful educator on their staff. JaQuan is a fighter and a winner and he’s going to be a success no matter what he chooses to do. His mom loves him so much and seems so warm and caring. He is so blessed to have so many supportive people in his life. I’m going to remember his name because I know I’m going to see it again soon enough when he makes it big in the world!

Born in Ward 7, came up in Ward 8. Moved out md for a few years. Came back to to Ward 7 and 8 because I had better opportunities here than I had anywhere else. I ride pass this street everyday. Life is what you make it . Salute to Jaquan though.

AND MS. POTTS, GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY *

a black dude that knows how to swim and left the ghetto.....he beat all the odds 😂

Great story I’m so proud of this young man his mom and his family for pushing against the odds, respect.

First year completed can we get an update on JaQuan.

I cant lie I'm from the city all I can do is 😭😭😭😭 I am so proud for that man

Good Man! Through it all he kept it pushing and never gave up. We need more stories like this. I really enjoyed watching this.

It's March 2022. Any updates on this Young Guy ? Hope he still has the same mindset 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾

Positive stories don't sell papers, they inspire and encourage though. Would love to know part 2. Keep doing the right thing Bro!

I hope my fellow dreadhead hanging in there and still focus ... the streets undefeated.

Wow, what an awesome, inspirational story!!! I salute this young man for not becoming a product of his environment!!! God bless him, his mom, his teacher, and her mother!!! This type of support is such a blessing!!! It truly makes a difference. Keep up the good work, and finish strong!!!

I love it. D.C is my home. I love seeing young black men doing well. We need more stories like this on the news.

Thank you for a positive story. 💪🏾❤️💯🤙🏾👍🏾✊🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾. Thank you to J’s Mom and Teacher for their combined love and support. Keep moving forward young man.

S.E. it ain’t no joke I’m glad to see a young man come from where I’m from doing the dam thing stay positive young champ

Do your thing young king 👊✊.... Love you man. # UPTOWN DC WE ROCKING WITH YOU CHAMP

Love this docu. The only concern I have is why they keep saying this young man has a "learning disability?" ...Much like most of our children who have been tagged and labeled with this title....ain't nothing wrong with him! Please stop allowing others to define us. He is BRILLIANT!

Life is so amazing, and all it takes is one person to be an entire village. Great story!

God bless all of them, this hits hard an makes me so happy. I hope all of your dreams come true.

IM SO PROUD OF THIS YOUNG MAN ,AND THIS YOUNG LADY OF HELPING HIM, AND WE ALL NEED HELP ,IT SHOW YOU THE COMPASSION OF GOOD PEOPLE WHO CARE *, SORRY FOR HIM IT WENT TO WASTE, BUT SECOND CHANCES ARE ALWAYS GRANTED. **

JaQuan, I am wishing you the BEST! I grew up in Anacostia beginning in 1953. I attended Ketchum Elementary, and my sister attended Anacostia High, before the family moved to Maryland. I am proud of you! You can go as far as you wish to go! Never give up! Watch Les Brown on RU-vid. He is one of the greatest motivational speakers of all time. He is an extraordinary black man whom I believe would be a great inspiration to you. Watch his videos. He has made many. He will be a wonderful mentor! In God's Love, your friend, Mack

I will be praying for Jaquan. I live in anacostia. There are others who are doing well also. These kids on the other side of the track need more opportunity, positive role models, support, and money to get a hand up . Due to socio-economic disadvantages and proper direction, many young people do what they do to because they have no other means or know nothing else. Jaquan had what it seems a savior who supported him beyond what he was apprised of and had the ability to take him aside and showed him an opportunity for a different kind of life. If you can see and imagine then you can have hope of doing and seeing yourself in that role. Low income produces low esteem and lack of ambition because you dont see any other way of escape. Thank God for this teacher who was able to show Jaquan another side of life that broadened his horizon, but what about all the others who could only wish for the same. These folks dont have or dont do better as many think simply because they dont want to. That is a farce!! They are placed in a situation that the other side of town would not dare to endure that is why we need good legislators who are held to account in order to change the inequities that anacostia face. Also, to be able to help so many more young people waiting in the wings of possibility, seeking opportunity to stand on that doorstep of a realized hope. Look at what this one teacher did as she held out a light of hope to Jaquan and he excelled. Imagine what would happen to the others that Jaquan passed by each day. If only they had the support and opportunity to help pursue a better course, broaden their horizons, and encouragement to accomplish higher goals. My granddaughter was a product of an initiative that allowed young white college grads to teach at her school in a pilot program. Gave children help, hope, opportunity to study for scholarships, and the opportunity to attend boarding schools in their high school years. Mr. Dougherty was her teacher and mentor at Friendship School. He taught and encouraged her to stretch beyond her circumstances as he gave incite, mentoring, and encouragement also to apply for the Jack Kent Cook scholarship that prepared her for college. He was an innovator and is presently the principal of Jefferson High on the other side of town. Kudos to Mr. Dougherty from Lashawn Taylor. She received her college degree and just the other day her pharmaceutical certification. My hope is that more folks who can, would see the need to place themselves where they can give a hand up instead of a push aside or hand down. Kudos to Jaquan!!! Just keep going and will be praying for you!!! Kudos to the very fine educator and mentor. You, my dear, are a savior to this young man as Mr. Dougherty was to my granddaughter. So here again, this certifies that age-old adage about what the power of ONE can do when we put forth our hands to get it done!!

i know so many that died to the streets especially there, its hard to stay out the way when thats all you know and when most of the city gave up on the poor neighborhoods but im so glad some find a way out...

I don't know "J" and probably never will but this is a story I never will forget, I'am so Proud of you "J" and your Fight to get to the Top Buddy, you made your Mom so Proud and Mom's are the Greatest.

Damn thats whats up, I remember younging use to live Uptown next door to my homie. Glad to see he doing something positive. Whats also funny I use to work at WJLA Jay Korrf is a hell of a reporter.

Stumbled across a treat. I'm so proud of you Nephew! Keep pushing Baby Boy!!

This is a very touching story. Isabelle Potts really saw something in him and bought it out. We need more Isabelle Potts in DC school system.

I was born and raised in anacostia.. rough streets.

He probably watched what happened to his older siblings. And decided to do something different. Looks like the Father wasn’t there.

You see how the teacher’s accent changed when she moved back to NC lol

I'm proud he made that choice

Change makers. Mom says,"Stay prayed up".

Keep it pushing Ja Quan and always remember God's got your back when you feel all else is failing,never give up or lose faith,most of Southeast sends our blessings as well as Gods people all over the world.

For a person from the area ( NOT from DC but neighboring PG county) I am so proud of this young man for beating the odds and getting out if here!!!! It can be depressing because of the violence and financial strain so many people go through but he pushed through! Kudos to him... we definitely need an update!

Im supporting you all the way my brother 🙏🏼🙏🏼

Would love an update on this young man

This is a Beautiful Story we need to SUPPORT our Teachers sometimes we take them for granted I'm gonna remember him when I see him on TV

Man you made me proud wishing you the best in all you do and cudo to the teacher and mom who believed in you..

Growing up in this neighborhood I always seen quan. Never expected this tho. Never really talked to him but we need more fellas like you to stand up in the hood bro💪💪💪

Congratulations! I’m proud of you. Just follow your goals and don’t give up.

I used to have to commute there for work in professional clothes, it’s certainly the hood of the hood of DC.

Proud of my boy I miss your brother so much God bless the family my boy going up ☝

I am from Anacostia. I wished I would have met Jaquan.

God bless his family and the teachers that helped him reach his full potential

8 children?! why have that many children if you are struggling? I don't think i could handle one child

charged with "assault" for breaking up a fight? MPD will do anything for court fees.

I live in anacosia man its Da hood up there it aint no joke

watching this young man, i’m sitting here crying of joy seeing how this young man overcame the odds against him & with a learning disability at that. That Teacher helped change his life & mold him into becoming a somebody. I’m very proud of these people and grateful that his story was recorded. I would like to see a follow up of this video ! Thanks

You got to surround yourself with positive people for the rest of your life!!!!That's a beautiful story.....

Keep ya Head UP King Jay Jay! God Bless, Young Brother. I'm also from the great Ana!

Shout out to Quan! Anacostia a whole different part of the city. One of the worst parts

FANTASTIC!!! I wish him NOTHING BUT GREATNESS!

Do we know what happened next?

This young brother is a PURE athlete..PURE.....MUCH SUCCESS...LOVE FROM HOME LIL BRO....WHERE IS HE NOW............

AND, what a FANTASTIC EDUCATOR!!! I love her, too!

Oh yeah JJ 💪🏾. Congrats bro

How can you not like a story like this? It just goes to show that your circumstances don't have to dictate your place in the World. Glad to see this young man get to a better place in his life. Also, it sucks that teachers like Ms. Potts end up having to leave because of burnout and a lack of support.

Ms. Potts taught my daughter at Ana

Amazing, I ALMOST cried.

You and the teacher well appreciated ❤

Shout out Ms. Potts we need more people like you 💪🏾 I wonder how Jay Jay is doin today

Mixed emotions about this story as I am an 1962 Anacostia graduate. The DC school system had a good educational rating then along with a Cadet program for every 10th grader which included a lot of discipline and following orders. We were commissioned to protect DC in case of an attack. A few years after 1962 the parents made the DC school system drop the Cadet program because it was said to be demanding on their children and that taking orders from senior Cadet instructors were harmful. So DC dropped cadets. As the years went by the educational expectations were lowered and lowered to a elementary school level. DC, however, did hire a young lady who tried her to bring back discipline, education and an honest curriculum for the students best but the schools system and the parents were against most anything she would attempt to do to make the students perform at the grade levels that everyone else performs at. They got rid of her. Years later I did visit my old high school and found the students wandering the halls and using the stair cases as bathrooms. Basically, it was a free for all and the students ran the school. This young man had the cards stacked against him, as they all do, for living in DC and living in the Anacostia Area. And sending him off to "college" was probably the worse "they" could do to him as he would walk into a different world that he had never experienced in Anacostia. I hope he does well. And I hope he learns that he needs to find out what he wants in life because the educational and family structure is not present for him in DC or Anacostia. I hope he finds what he truly wants to do in his life so he can break free of the chains of ignorance that await him back in Anacostia. And I hope he gets to meet a counselor that helps him into the direction that he is prepared for where he can become an active, productive citizen for himself and his country. I'd like to see him head for a mechanical/electrical trade or put on a USA uniform and find out what the real world is like.

There's hardly a supermarket or fruit store South of the Anacostia River. Not only is it a food desert, it's a transport desert. SE Washington DC has terrible transit service compared to the rest of the city. But altering test score and attendance numbers is a very common thing all over the USA. The schools are desperate to get rid of the worst kids so they graduate them any way they can.

I'm so Proud of JJ & the example he has set for others! Congratulations 🥰 👏🏿👏🏿🔥💥💯 Str8 Outta DC

A positive kid in such a negative environment.

Yea bro make it out cause a lot of us young ppl are goin to just die in the hood cause are mind is stuck and we messed up in the head frm mental probs frm PTSD paranoia all of these things I kno we will never get help nor will we ever speak about what we go threw but I’m happy u know u gotta make it out

Love this so proud of you congratulations It’s a lot of talent in DC as a Washingtonian myself you can make it

❤ May GOD continue to bless and cover 😮this young man with all his endeavors and life’s journey. From: A single mom of a black male residing in DC…Blessings ❤

The #realDC

I hope everything works out for him and he doesn't give up regardless because of anything

Happy for this young man. Sometimes, all these young men and women need is that extra push and guidance.

Good Hope Road!

I work in Anacostia at Bridgepoint Hospital (Martin Luther king Jr Ave.) where I'm a Hospitalist. There's MANY new opportunities for the young folks (Thurgood Marshall Highschool, SOME job training program, UDC job training, police academy, non-profits, three new libraries, etc. ).

Wooowww we need a part 2. I’m hoping all the best for him ❤

5/2022. where is JaQuan today? I pray all is well for JaQuan, he deserves it.

Dats wat I’m talking about Lil bro I’m proud of you

Way to go, Jaquan💞💞💞💞 Keep succeeding 💝

Well Anacostia has really changed due to gentrification in the last 2 years. I'm a native Washingtonian still living in DC. However, NW is completely different from SE. I hope this young brother is doing well in college and will come to back to Anacostia to make difference for his community. All the 🙏 for him and his family. Can we get an update on his progress?

If all of the younger minority’s can look at the bigger picture you can overcome!

SouthSide!!!

I patrolled Anacostia for 17 yrs. 81 to 98. I knew every crack in sidewalk and everyone that lived there. I lived in Naylor Gardens.

Can we get a update on him?

One person feels entitled to help... One person feels entitled to help. Nothings gonna change until these moms and government have intentions to change for the better.

This is inspirational!

This speaks volumes to the many educators and ppl who are not black but have love❤️💯 and compassion and dedication for our children in our communities. They are with us.

Love that he beat the odds. With the help and love of ms. Potts👍🏾❤️

Dc is rough I grew up in Alexandria va I would catch the train to dc totally different world people willing to kill for nothing

Great segment Jay!

I hope all goes well for him.

Oh my god, he's truly gifted.

This made me smile

This is great! It shows we can do anything when we put our mind to it. Doing something good..👍🏾

Lord Jesus please let him still be ok and prospering 🙏🏾